Priorities
by Tari Tinuviel
Summary: Danni was entrusted with taking care of the daughter of her best friend, when the world goes to hell she finds it her top priority to make sure that little girl lives to see better times. She will do anything to ensure the child's safety - even take a 35 hour trip to a place that is supposed to be a Safe-Zone. Eventual Daryl/OC Rating for Blood and Gore.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

* * *

Beep, beep, beep.

She groaned. "Leave me alone." She grumbled.

Beep, beep, beep.

"I hate you." She said as she didn't bother to open her eyes as her hand fumbled about on her nightstand as she looked for the source of the noise.

Beep, beep, beep.

She slammed her fist down and the alarm clock shattered into several pieces. She grumbled as she sat up. "I need to stop buying these cheep two dollar alarm clocks." She muttered as she tossed the demolished bit of technology over her shoulder. She ran a hand over her face and then through her shoulder-length hair. She put her hands on the edge of her mattress as she stared down at her feet with bleary eyes. A sliver of light hit her feet and she could see that she needed to re-do the metallic blue nail polish on her toes. She rolled her shoulders a bit before pushing herself off her bed.

She walked out of her messy room as she headed out into the hallway of her small apartment. She hadn't pulled the drapes back just yet; she didn't feel like doing so just yet. She padded into her kitchen and opened the fridge as she idly scratched her leg before crouching down to pull out a carton of milk, once she had it she placed it on the small table in the kitchen before she grabbed a bowl and some of the horrible cereal she had forced herself to eat so she could stay fit – because if she stayed fit – she would never go hungry as he job required it.

After she had breakfast she went back into her room to prepare herself for the day. She pulled on a clean pair of sweats, she then grabbed her favorite olive-green tank-top she put it on, she then grabbed her hoodie and shrugged it on, making sure to zip it half-way. After she tied her hair up, put her shoes on, and grabbed her iPod she was out the door for her usual morning jog.

She went down the familiar route as she always did, around the block of her busy L.A. neighborhood. A woman walking a massive shaggy dog waved her way. "Good morning Danni!" She said.

"Good morning Mrs. Carpenter!" She replied as she waved. "Nice morning."

"Yes, yes it is!" She agreed. "Well, I'll see you later."

Danni nodded and jogged off. After her jog she went up to her apartment once more and prepared herself for her usual morning Yoga.

She hated her routine, working out most of the morning before she had to go to her demanding job.

This time her job would be taking her to Georgia. Some director needed a stunt team for some action movie he was filming in Atlanta – some sort of spy movie or something like that starring one of the biggest names in the film industry. Roger Salbek, he had to at least been in some of the most major films – and she had the misfortune to work in three of his movies – as a stunt performer… and it was always for some air-headed actress who was usually a no-body, and was too princess to do even the simplest of stunts.

She would not be leaving for a couple of days, but even so she had to stay in top shape – she would have to leave in a bit to go work with the stunt coordinator so that she would at least know what stairs she would be stumbling up.

After a quick shower, she changed, grabbed her car-keys, and bag, and then she left the apartment. Once she was in the building's garage she walked up to a very old, and very beat up Caprice that was too big for her, the upholstery was peeling on the inside, and on the outside the paint was chipping. But it had belonged to her father and she refused to give it up – even if it did belong in a scrap-heap.

With a swift kick to the door it popped open, she tossed her stuff in and then got into the car, and once she got the car to work she was off. The place she would meet up with the rest of the stunt-crew was a gym they usually worked at. Really it was nothing but a studio in the middle of the city with padded walls and flooring and an office through one wall.

As usual she put her things in her locker and then she changed her shoes before she stepped into the padded training room.

Out of nowhere she had to jump and summersault before rolling away, she kicked up her feet and stopped the reason she had to do that by the chest. "You're fast." The man said with an amused smirk. He had hazel eyes and black hair that was long enough to be tied back. She always thought of him as a sort of modern-day barbarian or something similar.

"You're not supposed to attack the minute I walk in." She said as she eyed the wooden stick in his hands. "And you're armed.

He chuckled. "Come on, Danni, you know it's all good fun!"

With a heave she flipped him over; she sat on his back and twisted his arm behind him. "I told you not to do that, Barns." She said.

Barney Anderson was typically her partner when it came to work, and her closest friend. The always trained together and did almost everything else together. "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed." He said as he pushed her off.

She sat cross-legged as she leaned back on her hands as she watched him sit up. He was easily 6'2'' and probably twice her width, people often called him a gentle giant. "I smashed my alarm-clock again." She said.

He laughed. "Maybe I should get you one of them expensive ones!" He said. "For your birthday!"

"Ha – ha." She said. "You should go into Comedy."

"Really?" He said as his face lit up.

"No." She said dryly. "How's Maria?" She asked.

Maria was his very petite 5'5'' wife, she was also very pregnant. "Just fine." He said as he got up, he pulled her up with him. "She has an appointment today – her due-date is soon."

Danni smiled. She had known Barney for a very long time – and she knew he always had a soft-spot for children. Especially babies. This would be his first child.

"Of course I'm going to be godmother – right?" She said with a smirk.

"Of course." He said.

She grinned as they walked into the office.


	2. First Born Child

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

* * *

Danni sat with Barney as he paced about, they had gotten leave from the movie to be there for Maria. Roger Stupid-Face as Danni 'fondly' referred to him had protested saying how they were the best stuntmen on set and they couldn't leave. Danni had not too politely told him to shove it, and the Director let them leave as long as they managed to return before the end of the week.

"She'll be fine." She said as she fidgeted with the sleeve of her scrubs.

"Why won't they let me in there with her?" He asked, sounding panicked.

"Because you passed out the moment you saw the blood." She said with a smirk.

He gave her a look as a nurse joined them, she was smiling happily. "You can come in again Mr. Anderson."

He stood up apprehensively. "How is she?"

"Both the Missus and the baby are fine." She said.

The pair walked into the room where tiny Maria was smiling despite the weary look on her face, in her arms there was a bloody mass that Danni assumed was a baby. They walked over and Barney happily kissed his wife's forehead. Danni cautiously walked to the couple to stare down at the baby. "Geez Maria, is that a baby, or an alien?"

Barney slapped her upside the head. "That's my daughter we're talking about here!" He said.

"Sorry." She said, not sounding very apologetic at all. "So, what did you name her?" She asked.

Maria looked up at Barney and nodded. He looked at Danni. "We're naming her Madison Danielle."

She looked up. "My name – is her middle name?" She said slowly.

"You are her Godmother." Maria said with a smile.

"That…" Danni started. "Is… so… COOL!" She exclaimed. The baby began to cry loudly and Danni winced. "Sorry!"

Barney rolled his eyes and then he looked to his wife. "This was your idea."

Maria laughed tiredly. "No, babe – it was yours."

Danni grinned. "Well I should leave – my flight leaves in a bit – or Stupid-face will have another fit."

Barney nodded. "See you in a couple of days." He said.

The next day she was back in Georgia. This time they were filming in some quant city out of Atlanta. It was small, and apparently one of the locations was there so the whole city was there – excited to see a real-life cast and crew straight out of Hollywood.

Danni fidgeted in the leather jacket, the sweltering heat made it unbearable for her, especially with the long black wig on her head. The actress, some bimbo from Miami sat to the side as the make-up artist attended to her. She rolled her eyes as she leaned against the fence of the house they would be filming at. The local police-force was helping them to keep the locals away.

The director, Jason Garrison – a stocky 50-year-old man with the best sense of humor Danni ever knew a person to have, walked down the house pathway, in his hand there was a chart as he looked around. She let out an annoyed sigh as she removed the jacket and she tossed it over her shoulder. Roger was late and they were all waiting on him.

"Are movie stars always like this?" A voice asked.

She turned her head to see one of the task force, he had a hat on his head and just like her he was sweating.

"I've had the pleasure to work with many." She said. "And I can say that only Roger is willing to make a city wait for him to arrive." She sat up as someone handed them cold bottles of water. If she didn't know they were cold she would have sworn the bottles were sweating too. "Thanks Lisa." She said to the volunteer.

"Sure thing." She said with a wink.

Lisa was a drama graduate who was volunteering to learn as much as she could about the film industry. Danni pitied her because she had to deal with Roger for free; at least Danni was being paid.

"I'm Shane, by the way, Shane Walsh." He said.

She looked at him; he looked young – maybe a bit older than her. "You're new to the police." She said.

"Yeah." He said. "My buddy and I joined this year."

She shook his hand. "Nice to meet you, I'm Danielle Mason." She grinned.

"Nice to meet you to, Danielle Mason." He said.

"Please, call me Danni. Everyone else does." She said as she looked at Arielle, the actress. "Bet I could hit her with gravel from here?"

"I'd rather you didn't, Danni." Jason said.

"Come on." She said. "When's Roger getting here?"

Shane silently excused himself as Jason shrugged. "I'm starting to think it was a mistake to hire him – but we're too far into production to stop now."

She groaned. "And what is with Princess over there?"

He gave her a look before he looked down at his clip-board.

"Fine, fine – I'll stop talking boss-man." She said.

Before long they could hear women shrieking happily. "Finally." Jason said as Roger got out of a car.

Danni looked at him with distaste as he stepped onto the sidewalk and then he removed his sunglasses, his blue eyes shone with the arrogance that seemed to keep him standing upright, his blond hair was styled the way it should be, and he was in costume. She would enjoy the scene this day because it included a rather wild fight – and she sure as hell wanted a chance to pummel him since Barney wasn't there.

She shrugged on the jacket as she smirked. Yes, she would have a fun day today.

Behind the Camera Jason stood as they stood in the kitchen of the house. Danni had a big pair of glasses on her face, and with them on she looked exactly like Arielle who stood beside her. "Now when Roger walks in." Jason said as he joined them, there was in island in the middle of the kitchen, he put his hands on the granite as he looked at them. "Arielle – I want you to walk in from the back door and look through the drawers – but when Roger walks in –" He said with a wide gesture I want you to start running out but then he'll grab you from the back of your jacket. When we cut we'll put you in, Danni, and then the fight scene will commence… okay?"

The three nodded. Jason stood back and Danni followed him as the scene began, it took several takes because Arielle kept tripping over, once she pulled out a drawer too far out and it came crashing to the floor. "How about we just film the fight first?" Jason said.

Danni had begun to nod off on a chair. She nodded. "Please!"

The one thing Danni absolutely loved about her job was that she had the permission to brawl – and she was paid for it – granted the brawl was always choreographed – but even a face punch to Stupid-face's face gave her a sense of satisfaction.

And just like that filming was done and Danni was back in L.A. to spend time with Barney, Maria, and little Madison.


	3. What Happened Now?

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

* * *

"Aunty Danni." A voice said quietly.

Not now. She thought as she buried her face in the pillow.

"Aunty Danni." The voice said once more.

"Go away." She said into the pillow.

"AUNTY DANNI!" The voice yelled, this time its owner pounced on her. She let out a cry when her 10-year-old goddaughter pounced on her. She turned and grabbed the girl before throwing the blankets over the both of them as she forced the girl to cuddle with her. "Wake up!" She said.

"Don't you know how late your Aunty stayed up?" She said.

The girl rolled her eyes. "Really, Aunty?" She said.

"Yes, really." She said. "My house – my rules – now go back to sleep."

She giggled. "Wake up! It's Saturday!"

"I know." She replied. Madison had the habit of staying over at Danni's on weekends because she claimed it was always fun at the small apartment. Danni let out a sigh and nodded. "Fine – fine – let's get up." She kicked the blankets off and the girl bounced free from her grasp. She sat up and pulled her hair into a messy bun. "So what's first on the agenda, Maddy dear?" She said.

"Pancakes!" She exclaimed.

Danni chuckled as she studied the girl, she had a wild tangle of black hair and bright blue eyes that seemed to light the room. She was wearing My Little Pony bottoms, and a Rolling Stones top. She got up and threw open the curtains to bathe the room in sunlight, Maddy ran out of the room, her tangled hair bouncing behind her. Danni chuckled as she followed her.

The T.V. was on and some stupid cartoon was on it – Saturday morning cartoons just weren't the same anymore. She shook her head and padded into the kitchen, she saw Maddy had already pulled everything out. She grinned. "Okay, what kind of pancakes are we making?" She asked as she watched Maddy tie the apron on her.

"M&M's." She said. "And I want blue eggs."

"Yes ma'am." She said as she began to make the batter, the girl was with her every step of the way.

Once they had breakfast Danni sat down with Maddy as they watched a movie – some movie about a girl with magical powers. Danni never really paid attention as she had her laptop on her lap while she worked. Her feet were propped up on the coffee table and Maddy sat on the couch back as she put beads and braids into Danni's hair.

As Danni scrolled through the usual website she went to – the main page Zulu had everything, even mail, she was scrolling through the headlines barely heeding the ten-year-old that was practically perched on her shoulders putting colored beads into her long hair.

Her brows furrowed when she saw one of the headlines. 'Zombies? Or Druggies on the loose?'

Curiosity made her click the link, she read it almost quickly, her eyes zooming across the screen as she read how several people had been found eating other people. Shooting them was ineffective – and a shot to the head was the only thing that could stop them.

So far recorded attacks like that were in major cities. L.A, New York, Chicago, and even in Washington D.C. She frowned. "Hey baby girl – why don't you get dressed." She said.

"Okay… but why?" She said.

"I'm thinking we could go to the mall today." She said as she looked up at the girl who bent over to look down at her.

"OKAY!" She said as she ran off.

Danni put her laptop aside as she sat on the coffee table and changed the channel to a News station. She sat with her hands under her chin as she saw horrific images on the screen. She watched with unmoving eyes. 'What in the world is happening?' She wondered.

She quickly changed it back when Danni appeared again, this time she was wearing jeans and a batman t-shirt. Danni was pretty sure she had the coolest goddaughter in the history of goddaughters.

An hour later they were in the mall; Maddy was happily looking around as she dragged Danni into her favorite shop.

A toy store.

Danni smiled as she watched Maddy interact with children her age, she pulled out her cell phone and she called Barney and Maria.

"Hello." Barney said as he answered the phone.

"Hey." She said as she stared at an odd looking doll that was supposed to talk. "Did you see the news?"

"Yeah." He said. "Hell, we saw the attacks."

She let in a sharp breath. "What?"

"We were going to Maria's parents." He said. "And we saw them Dan. They walked so weird – it was like their joints didn't matter – they just stumbled about – and they smelled like death." She heard him shudder.

"But –"

"Look." He said. "The city isn't as safe as you think it is – we're staying here – you should bring Maddy and we should all stay here – Donna insists."

Donna was Maria's mother; Danni had met her many times before.

"I guess so." She said. "It'll be hard to explain to Maddy."

"She likes her grandparents – just say you were invited to spend the day." He said; she could almost hear his shrug.

She nodded. "Okay – I guess we'll drive to where you're at." She said.

"See you then Dan."

"Sure thing Barn." She said before she hung up.

"Danni." Maddy said as she ran up to her carrying a doll that looked like a tooth-fairy in combat boots. "I want this one."

"Okay baby girl – hey listen, how about we head over to Grandma and Grandpa's?" She said as she crouched down to look up at the girl.

"Why would we do that?" She asked curiously.

Danni smiled. "They invited us to spend the day there – you know we always have fun there – right?"

She nodded. "I guess so." She said.

"Okay, so how about we go home – and get ready to leave?" Danni said.

Maddy nodded and grinned. "Okay."

Once they paid for the doll Danni led Maddy back to the car so they could drive home. Once in the apartment Danni told Maddy to go pack her things as she went into her own room to pack her things. She grabbed a big canvas duffle bag she usually took with her when she had jobs, she then began to fold things and put them in it, jeans, and khakis, sweats, her tank-tops, and flannel shirts, her pajamas, and everything else she would need, she didn't know how long she would be there.

"Danni I'm ready." Maddy said as she appeared in the bedroom carrying a bulging backpack. "Okay – let's go." She said as she zipped up her bag, she grabbed a box from her dresser and shoved it into the bag before she hoisted it onto her shoulder.

They threw their things into the trunk and then they both kicked the doors to get them to open. Danni pulled out of the building's parking lot and into the street, she saw someone walking oddly with a slack-jawed expression. "Danni, why is that person walking like that?" She asked.

She glanced over only to see the person attack a young woman on the street and take a bite out of her shoulder. "Oh God." Danni said. "Maddy, don't look." She was trying to keep the terror out of her voice as she pushed the old car to go as fast as it could.

It was an hour drive to Maria's parents, they were now in L.A.'s suburbia; Danni pulled into the gravel drive-way up to the two-story house. Donna was the first to walk out, she was a short woman with red hair that was curly, and bright blue eyes that Maria inherited. "Grandma!" Maddy said as she ran out of the car and into her grandmother's embrace.

"Hello there baby girl." She said as she kissed the top of her head.

Danni got out of the car and went to grab her things and Maddy's things Barney joined her and grabbed their things. Donna hugged her. "How was the drive?" She asked as she studied the much taller Danni.

"We saw some of those zombie things." She said. "But not much…"

Donna nodded seriously. "Well, it's good to see you again." She said as she led Danni into the house.

Maria quickly embraced her. "Thank you for bringing her – thank you so much Dan."

Danni smiled and nodded. "You know I'd do anything for Maddy." She said.

"Eh, it's you?" A heavily accented Scottish voice said.

She grinned and looked up at the tall white-haired, brown-eyed, aged form of Maria's father. James Walker, he wore a tartan shirt that was tucked in to khaki pants and a pipe dangled from his mouth. "Hello there you old coot." She said.

He chuckled and patted her shoulder.

Later that night once they were sure Maddy was asleep they all sat around the table in the dining room to discuss the situation. "The incidents here aren't as much as they are in the city." James said.

"But soon they will." Barney added.

"So what now? Do you have enough food to last us if we hide in the basement? Ammo? Weapons?" Danni asked.

"Aye." James said. "That we do…" He let out a puff of smoke as he studied everyone. "We're set."

Danni let out a quiet sigh as she nodded. They walked out to watch the news, when they turned it on they saw that whatever was happening spread in L.A. only an hour ago, people were stumbling about like the living dead. They watched in horror as one bit down on the reporter's shoulder, making the camera crew scramble away.

Danni watched with a pale face. "What is this?"

"A report says it's an infection." Donna said. "The CDC is working on something to try and counter it – there are theories that it might be germ-warfare."

Barney was silent as he kept his arms around his wife. Danni looked at them. "Germ Warfare?" She said, terror evident in her voice.

"They're keeping flights from going in – and going out." James said. "I called me brother in Scotland – he says they don't have a thing like it." He paused. "Not yet at least."

"This is nation-wide quarantine." She said. "If it can be contained."

Maria let out a small sigh. "So far it's just in the major cities – I called Sarah –"

Sarah was Maria's older sister who lived in Atlanta.

"She said they have a safety-zone set up in Atlanta – we're all thinking to head out east…" She said.

"That is a 35 hour drive." She said quietly.

"We know." James said. "We figure it be best to get out of L.A."

Danni stared at her knees and then she nodded. "Okay." She said. "Let's do it."

Barney nodded. "We leave tomorrow." He said. "We should all get some sleep – while we can."

Danni went upstairs to the room she usually occupied when she visited the family; the last thought on her mind before she drifted off into a dreamless sleep was 'What is going on?'


	4. Oh God

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

* * *

Shuffle.

Bang.

Danni woke up with a groan, what the hell were they doing up this early? She heard a shriek. With a racing heart she got up and ran out of the room, Maddy was about to run out of hers but Danni stopped her. "Stay here." She said.

The little girl nodded and ran into her room. "Lock your door and don't come out until I come and get you, you hear?" She said as she shut the door after she grabbed the metal soft-ball bat that leaned against the wall.

Danni slowly walked to the rooms and found that Maria and Barney were not in their bedroom, the same went for Donna and James. She heard another shriek and then growls.

"JAMES!" Someone shrieked.

She ran now and saw that zombie people, at least five of them, had gotten into the house somehow. She saw a lot of blood, a gunshot was heard behind her she turned and saw Barney holding a shot-gun. "In the head." He said with a growl.

She nodded and swung the bat into the closest zombie, bashing its face in with a sickening crunch, it made her stomach churn but she couldn't stop now. Blood splattered the wall behind it as she brutally smashed in its face.

Barney shot another through the face – soon the room was littered with bodies. Danni saw a familiar shock of read hair amongst the bodies, she looked at Barney who fell to his knees. She ran to him. "What happened?" She said as he fell to the ground.

"We were getting ready to have breakfast." He said. "And they just – burst in – there were more – about 10 – some of them we knew." He winced.

She gently peeled back his shirt and saw a bite in his stomach. "Oh God." She said, her hands were shaking she was fighting back her tears.

"Hey, don't freak out." He said weakly. "Madison needs you now."

She nodded.

"A shot to the head." He said to her. "Make sure we're all dead."

"But –" She said.

"Do it." He said as he grabbed her hands, his blood coating them. "I would rather die then become one of them."

She nodded shakily.

"In the basement there is a stash – take everything – and take Madison to Georgia – got it?"

She nodded slowly. "Okay."

In her room Madison sat curled up under her bed, she was afraid – she had never seen her aunt so afraid before. She flinched when she heard gunshots below. She waited a while – it felt like a year before she heard Danni. "Maddy, open up."

She got up and ran to the door, unlocking it, and then she launched herself at Danni. "What happened?" She asked.

"We have to leave." She said quietly. "We're going to go visit your aunt Sarah."

Madison nodded and watched as Danni began to pack her things.

When they walked down the little girl saw a lot of blood on the floor, but no sign of dead bodies, outside there was a fire-pit that was smoking but it did not have flames in it.

Danni grabbed the black bags that were on the ground, in one there was food and provisions, in the other there were weapons. Maddy saw that strapped to Danni's hip there was a sword, a sword from one of the movies that she had worked in with Barney and he had kept it. She knew it was called a Katana in Japanese, Maddy was afraid. "What's going on?"

"Everything will be fine, baby girl." Danni said as she led her outside where her grandparent's big red Dodge SUV stood waiting. "Get in."

Madison obeyed as Danni threw the things into the back; she went back in once more and walked out with two plastic containers, on her third trip she brought out her things. She locked the door behind her and got into the car, she saw that Maddy was still in her Pajamas. She curled up on the back seat as she hugged the doll she had got her the previous day.

They had a long drive ahead of them, and by God Danni would do it if it meant giving that little girl a chance to survive.

They set off and Danni noticed more of the Zombies, stumbling out of houses – growling – looking for something to eat. She fumbled with the radio in hopes of finding something that would tell them what was going on.

Danni let out a quiet curse when she saw all the traffic headed out of the city, she quickly turned on the GPS and prayed that it would be working, to her luck it was and she was able to find herself a path out of the city – but she knew she would have to drive off-road.

Not that she minded. "Where's mom and dad?" Maddy asked after a long while.

Danni didn't know what to say, she opened and closed her mouth multiple times before she wet her lips. "Maddy I –"

"Did the monsters get them?" She asked quietly.

Danni nodded with a sad sigh. "Your dad – he said –" She broke off when the Radio spluttered to life.

"This is an emergency broad-cast." It said. They fell silent and Maddy stared at it with a piercing stare. "We have lost communication with the following cities. Seattle, Los Angeles, San Diego, Los Vegas, and other counties on the west coast, if you are listening and you are from the west coast it is advised you head east – The following areas are safe-zones –" He began to list various cities in different states but advised those who could to head to Atlanta if they could.

"An official statement from the CDC has been issued." He continued. "These Walkers can only be killed with a shot to the head – if you are bitten by them – you are infected, if you are scratched by them – you are infected – take caution and avoid them at all costs."

"Is that what happened to mom, dad, grandma, and grandpa?" Maddy asked after the radio went silent.

"Yeah baby girl, that's exactly what happened…" She said quietly.

Maddy nodded as she fell back and she hugged her doll silently as she curled up on her side. Every so often she would check the radio, the infection was spreading like wildfire – it seemed like there was no stopping it at all. She would often glance around to see where they were and then she would check the GPS to see how they were doing.

"Hey Maddy." She said. "Reach in the bag, in the green plastic container there's food, eat something – you haven't eaten all day."

The little girl numbly obeyed. "Do you want anything?" She asked.

"I don't think I can stomach any food – you eat." Danni said. "Are you okay back there?"

"I kind of need to use the bathroom." She said.

"We need to stop at a gas-station to refuel." Danni said. "We'll take care of everything there, okay?" She looked up in the rear-view mirror to look at Maddy who was in the back with all of the things; she nodded as she pulled out a pop-tart.

An hour later they were at a gas station that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere, there were a few wooden houses and there was a sign on it that said 'Help yourself, may God have mercy on your souls.' She saw that it was a ghost town. "I don't like this place." Maddy said quietly.

"We'll leave in a bit." She said. "Let's get you to a bathroom, then you can change out of those pajamas, and then I'll fill up the car." She grabbed a handgun and she left the sword in the car, she made sure the gun had bullets. She grabbed Maddy's bag, Danni made sure to lock the door as she grabbed Maddy's hand and they walked past the gas-pumps to search for a restroom.

They found the restroom, it wasn't locked. "Stand back, baby girl." She said to Maddy who obeyed. She kicked open the door and held out the gun. Maddy slowly crept up beside her and then she let out a shriek when she saw a rotting Walker stumble out of a stall. She panicked and shot three times, missing each time because her hand was shaking so badly, she finally was able to get a shot in the Walker's head, it fell back with a sickening crunch and Maddy retched.

As if gas station bathrooms didn't smell bad enough without the smell of the dead. The grimy walls had a greenish glow from the dying fluorescent lighting. Danni checked all of the stalls before making sure it was clear. "Come on – just ignore the smell – okay Maddy?" She said as she looked down at the girl who stared in horror at the corpse.

Danni crouched down. "Hey, look at me." She said as she tried to keep herself from throwing up. "We will be fine – do you hear me?"

"B-But –"

"I will not let anything happen to you – ever." Danni said.

Maddy nodded shakily and went into a stall. Danni kept watch, she stared down at the walker with disgust, its jaw was missing, and the skin was a waxy yellow. What sickened her most was knowing the fact that once upon a time this was a living and breathing person – someone who was full of life. She was probably married, or had a boyfriend who loved her. Danni felt the bile rising to her throat but she refused to weaken in front of a little girl who needed her – right now they were each other's world… Danni refused to crumble.

Once Maddy was done, she relieved herself too, and then they walked back to the car, Danni made sure she was in the car and then she went to fill up gas, she even made sure to fill up the spare plastic gallons so that they wouldn't have a problem. Danni then ran into the convenient store – while keeping an eye on Danni, she brought things like water, Gatorade, and juice – she knew they would need it on the road.

Danni got back into the car and started it; she would not stop until nightfall… that was the plan. Danni would hope someone would cross their path.

Finally night had fallen and Danni decided to stop for the night. "Where are we?" Maddy asked.

"Oklahoma." She replied.

Maddy's eyes widened. "We crossed a lot of states?" She asked.

"Yeah." She said. "We should stop for the night, I'm tired."

Maddy nodded and Danni parked off the road. They curled up on the seats and fell asleep. The following morning they were up early, Danni had woken up when the light filled the car; she let Maddy sleep as she continued driving. She looked down at a map and when she looked around she found that they were in Elk City, Oklahoma. She looked down at the map, and then at the GPS as it calculated the distance. It would be 15 hours before they got to Atlanta, when she looked at the time she saw it was 6:30.

She let out a light cough and she ran her hands over her face before she started the car again, before she pulled out into the street she fixed her hair and fished through the glove-compartment until she found sunglasses. She put them on and continued to drive.

At around 7:40 Maddy woke up, she remained silent as she watched Danni drive. Deep down Danni wanted the next 14 hours to pass, she wanted to feel safe again. She wanted Maddy to feel safe… she wanted this mess to be over.


	5. Final Leg

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

* * *

Night had fallen again. This time they had gotten into Atlanta, the city seemed to be deserted. That is until many Walkers attacked out of nowhere.

Maddy shrieked in terror as Danni hissed a curse. "Maddy, get down!" She said as they attacked in multitudes.

The girl obeyed as she covered her head. Danni glared at the Walkers as she tried to keep her cool, she sped up and easily ran them over. She gripped the wheel tightly; she had to deploy her many years as a human test-dummy so she could get out of the city.

She got out of the car and slammed it shut as she let out every curse she could think off; Maddy was in the car crying in terror as she let out everything she didn't want Maddy to hear.

She sat on the asphalt and grabbed her head. Maddy got out and hugged her tightly as she sobbed into her shoulder. She hugged the girl to her as she stared at the dark city – it was overrun.

What had happened in the past two days?

"What do we do now?" Maddy asked.

"I don't know, baby girl." She said quietly. "Let's just stay here and hope morning brings something better…"

The girl nodded and they got back into the car. Maddy was silent for a long time, and Danni didn't sleep, she just stared at the city – wondering what exactly had happened. She didn't sleep all night; she kept watch over Maddy and occasionally got out to kill a Walker.

When morning came she looked over her shoulder and saw a group of people walking towards the city on the road, they were a group of six. She looked over at Maddy and made sure she was asleep before she got out of the car, her sword with her.

Glenn wanted to grumble at them, but with Merle Dixon with them he was afraid to even squeak. He had only wanted to go into the city, grab some things – and then get out. But the moment he mentioned it Andrea jumped up and yelled out how she needed to go into the city – and now he was responsible for a group.

"Hey." Glenn started. "That car's new." He said as he noticed the red SUV.

"What do you mean?" Jacqui asked.

"It wasn't here the last time I was." He paused curiously as he stared at it in the morning light. Someone was inside, that person got out of the car welding a Japanese sword. Glenn quickly studied her, she was tall, maybe 5'9'' her long brown hair was tangled in the remains of what had to be a bun, and she had dark circles under her eyes and her tan skin looked like it needed a good wash. She walked with steady steps towards them as she eyed them suspiciously.

"Living or dead?" She said.

"Alive! We're alive!" Glenn said. Some of the tension in her shoulders left but her steady stance never faltered.

Merle walked up to her. "Why don't you run home, girly?" He said with a laugh.

She eyed them all. "Please." She said. "Do you guys know a Sarah Walker?" She asked.

"Sarah Walker?" Glenn said. "I knew her!"

Hope shone in her eyes. "Really? Where is she?" She looked at the City. "I tried to go in – but the city – it's overrun."

"You aren't from around here, are you?" Andrea asked.

She shook her head. "No." She said. "I drove here all the way from L.A. please tell me what's going on…"

Glenn shook his head. "Sarah's dead." He said. "She – turned." They watched her clutch her head as she let out a loud curse. "Hey look –"

"I'm sorry." She said; there were tears in her eyes. She furiously wiped at them as she let out a tired sigh. "Is there another safe-zone?" She asked. "I have a kid with me – she doesn't need to be put through this…"

They all sympathetically shook their heads.

She crouched on the ground as she shook her head. "What the hell am I supposed to do now?"

"Danni?" A girl's voice said as she emerged from the car, like the woman she looked haggard – even terrified. She suspiciously eyed the grown-ups as she walked to the crouching woman.

"I'm sorry Maddy." She said quietly. "Looks like they got your Aunt Sarah."

The girl looked terrified. "What now?" She asked.

She got up and suddenly she looked defeated. "Can we go with you guys?"

"What? No!" Glenn said. "We're going into the city!"

"She means back to camp – probably." Morales said. "Right?"

She nodded slowly. "We've got nowhere to go." She said. "And – this little girl – I just want her to be safe…"

"Man – just let her join us." Morales said.

"I agree." Jacqui said.

She looked hopeful. Glenn groaned. "_Fine_." He said. "But if you make us –"

"I won't be going into the city." She said with the shake of her head. "I assume you guys will be leaving out of this way?"

"Yeah." T-Dog said.

"I'll wait out here." She said. "Wait for you guys to get out – then we can fit you all in my car and you can tell me where to go."

"Sounds fair." Andrea said with a nod.

"Man, I don't know how Shane will react to this." Glenn said.

She looked curious but Merle slapped his shoulder. "Well, you heard the lady! We'll leave her here and get back to her later!"

She nodded. Glenn nodded and he led the group away.

Danni watched them as they left she felt a bit of hope welling in her stomach; she hoped that meeting these people would be a good thing. She looked at Maddy and smiled gently. "Come on, how about we have breakfast and wait for the group?"

She nodded and the pair walked back to the car. Maddy ate silently and then she looked at Danni. "I need to pee."

Danni nodded as she sipped water from one of the bottles she had taken from the store the previous day. "Let's go."

They walked about between the cars in hopes of finding a R.V. or a bus with a bathroom. They were lucky to find an R.V. Danni kept a grip on Maddy's hand as she walked in; she stabbed two corpses through the head just to be safe. "Go." She said.

Maddy nodded and ran to the bathroom. Danni looked around curiously, she found they had little things; someone must have come and plundered. She looked through the cabinets and the fridge but she didn't find anything. Maddy joined her a moment later and they walked back to the car.

Danni didn't know how long they lingered but before long she saw a red sports car speed by, Glenn was driving it, he stuck his hand out and let out a whoop, she chuckled, started the car, and drove after him. A truck was just behind her, she assumed the others were in it. Maddy leaned on the back of the passenger seat as they followed the red truck. "Baby girl, buckle up." She said.

"But why?" She said.

She smiled gently as she sped up to catch up with the red car. The car's alarm echoed off every mountain in the area and for a moment Danni felt like she was at work again. They didn't stop until they got to an area that looked like a camp and Danni realized that her driving and Glenn's brought them ahead of the other truck.

"Turn that off!" An old man said to Glenn as Danni got out of the car. She watched as they walked to the car and turned the alarm off. Danni went to the back seat door as she let Maddy out, the girl looked winded.

"Danni! You drive so fast!"

"You haven't seen anything baby girl." She said with a chuckle as she helped her down.

"Danni? Danni Mason?" A voice said.

She curiously turned around and saw two familiar faces. "Well, I'll be jiggered – it's Shane Walsh!" She turned from Maddy as she approached the cops. "Haven't seen you since the summer of '99." She shook his hand. "And Lori!" She had met Lori Grimes briefly, but if one thing Danni never forgot a name or a face.

"That your little girl?" Shane asked.

"No. My goddaughter." She replied.

"Where are the others?" A blonde girl asked. "Where's Andrea?"

Moments later the truck pulled in. Out came the group she saw before, some of them nodded to her before joining their families. She had yet to be introduced to them so she just stood there awkwardly as she watched them embrace. She noticed Lori and her son, Carl, who had been just a baby the last time she saw him, look upset – she wondered where Lori's husband – Rick – was. She saw them look up and relief washed over their faces. "DAD!" The boy called out happily.

Danni turned and saw him walking towards them – his expression conveyed disbelief. Shane walked over to her. "What brings you so far out from L.A.?" He asked.

"I was supposed to take my goddaughter to her aunt." She replied. "Unfortunately… she was taken."

"I am sorry about that." He said.

"So that's Carl." She said.

"Yep, he's gotten a lot bigger since you last saw him." He said.

She nodded and leaned on her car.

The old man walked over to her and then he crouched down to study Maddy. "So, are you going to introduce yourselves?" He asked lightly.

Maddy grinned. "I'm Madison!" She said. "And this is Danni –"

"Danielle, I'm Danielle Mason, and this is Madison Anderson." She put her hand on Maddy's shoulder.

"Nice to meet you." He said. "I'm Dale…"

"So, uh – before I left California – I grabbed provisions that could have lasted a small group at least a weak." She said as she went to the back of the truck, she pulled out one of the plastic containers. "I thought – since we're staying here – we might as well share what it is we have – if it's okay with you…"

"Sure, it isn't a problem – right guys?" Dale said as he looked at the others.

They all nodded and smiled as Danni introduced herself to everyone, and they introduced themselves too. Hopefully for now she had found a safe place for her and Maddy.


	6. Daryl Dixon

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

I just would like to pause and thank everyone who has so-far liked this story... here meaning putting this story in your Alerts and/or Favorites, and I want to thank you who has been reviewing, I am a big fan of feedback =]

* * *

Danni looked around the camp after she set up a tent she had in the trunk. She saw Dale had popped the hood to her truck and his companion – Jimmy – was studying the engine. She glanced over at Maddy and saw she was sitting with Carl, a girl named Sophia, and the Morales kids – Eliza and Louis. She walked over to the Mechanic and the old man. "Already planning to take apart this baby?" She said. "We might need her."

Dale looked apologetic. "Sorry Danielle –"

"Danni." She said.

"I am sorry, Danielle – but the hose in the R.V. needs replacing – and we were hoping… to find a replacement."

"Understandable." She said as she stared down at the engine. "Hey, I saw an R.V. back on the road –" She paused.

"We checked it." Jimmy said. "No go."

"That's too bad." She said.

"So, what's your story New Girl?" The woman, Andrea, said.

She turned to look at them, night was falling and there was a fire. "Well…" She said as they all sat around the fire while Lori began to cook beans for them. "We drove from L.A." She said with a shrug. "There isn't much to tell…"

"Sure there is." Amy, Andrea's sister, said. "For example – how you know Shane and Lori."

Shane scoffed a bit as Danni grinned and Maddy leaned against her. "It was about 10 years ago." She explained. "You see, I was a stunt performer for movies – and I sort of just met them."

Rick, who had arrived with Danni and the others, smiled gently at Danni. Before long night had completely fallen and Rick was telling them what happened.

"Disoriented… I guess that comes closest… Disoriented, fear, confusion… all those things… but disoriented comes closest." He said.

"Words can be meager things." Dale said. "Sometimes they fell short."

"I felt like I'd been ripped out of my life and put somewhere else, for a while I felt like I was trapped in some sort of coma – dream… something I might not wake up from ever…"

Danni listened to the crackling of the fire; Maddy was beginning to nod off.

"Mom said you died…" Carl said to his father.

"She had every reason to believe that, don't you doubt it…" Rick said to his boy.

"We tried to get you out." Shane said. "Have you transferred to Atlanta – but it never happened, I mean we barely got out ourselves."

"I can see how." He said. "After it was overrun…" He looked at Shane. "Thank you for keeping them safe – I can't even begin to express it…"

A silence fell and Dale chuckled awkwardly. "There are those words falling short again…" He said. He fell silent.

They heard fire crack. "Hey Ed." Shane said. "Want to rethink that log?"

"It's cold man." Ed replied.

"That don't change the rules does it? Keep our fires low – just to embers so we can't be seen from a distance…"

"I said it's cold – why don't you mind your own business?" Ed said.

Shane rolled his eyes as he got up.

"Have you put into thought Daryl Dixon?" Dale said. "He won't be happy to hear his brother was left behind."

"I'll tell him – I dropped the key –" T-Dog said.

"I cuffed him." Rick said. "That makes him mine…"

"Guys." Glenn said. "This isn't a competition… I don't mean to put race into it – but I think it would be better coming from a white guy…"

"I did what I did." T-Dog said. "Hell if I'm going to hide from it…"

"We could lie…" Amy said. "Not tell him…"

"Or tell him the truth – your husband did what he had to do –" Andrea said to Lori. "Merle was a hazard to the group… He would have gotten us killed – and if Merle got left behind, it is no one's fault but Merle's."

"And that is what we tell Daryl? Do you think a rational conversation can be had with that?" Dale said with the shake of his head. "Word to the wise – we're going to have our hands full when he gets back from his hunt.

Danni imagined that this Daryl Dixon was probably one of those White Supremists; he probably had a nasty temper too.

"I was scared, and I ran – I'm not ashamed of it." T-Dog said.

"We were all scared – we all ran." Andrea said. "What's your point?"

"I stopped long enough to chain that door." He said. "Staircase is narrow – maybe half a dozen geeks can squeeze in it at once – it's not enough to break through there… not that chain – not that padlock… my point is – Dixon's still alive – handcuffed to that roof… and that's on us." T-Dog said before getting up.

Danni saw that Maddy had fallen asleep; she gently picked up the girl as she carried her into her tent. She crawled onto the sleeping bag and watched Maddy as she slept, she was hugging her doll tightly and Danni felt a strong sadness in her heart, she gently reached forward and ran her hand through Danni's hair before she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

The following morning Danni woke up with a groan, Maddy was watching her as she sat cross-legged. "Geez baby girl – don't do that." She said as she let out a tired sigh and she turned to her back, she could already hear cicadas singing outside, the heat in the tent told her what sort of day it was going to be as she sat up and rolled her stiff shoulders. She crawled to their bags and she pulled out clothes for Maddy to put on, the girl obeyed and then she ran off to go play with Carl and Sophia. Danni fumbled about for a bottle of water and she sipped it before she put it aside, she peeled off her clothes as she put on green cargo pants and a black wife-beater tank top. Once she pulled her hair into a sloppy bun she stepped out of the tent and into her awaiting shoes outside the tent. She saw Lori and Carol making sure the kids were having a decent breakfast. She smiled her thanks their way before heading over to the truck.

"Come on guys." Glenn protested as Dale and Jim tinkered with the engine.

"Morning." She said.

"Danni, do something – stop them." He begged. "I bet you once had a car like this."

She chuckled. "Nah, mine was an old hunker that belonged to my dad." She jabbed her thumb to the truck. "That belonged to my best friend's father in law." She stared down at the engine. "Sucking her dry, are we?"

"We need every bit of fuel we can get." Dale said. "I would siphon your truck – but we may need it yet."

She nodded as she put her hands in her pockets.

A while later Rick joined them. Danni grinned his way as she watched Glenn whine. "Look at them, vultures." He said. "I was hoping I'd get to drive it for a couple of days."

Danni chuckled as she left them to join Andrea and Amy as they hung wet clothes to dry. As they worked they heard shrieking. "MOMMY!"

"DANNI!"

Danni let out a curse. "Maddy!" She ran to the noise, behind her Rick, Lori and the others ran. Maddy barreled right into her, causing her to fall over as they all observed in horror a Walker, it was gnawing on a deer. In its hide there were two arrows, someone had been hunting it.

They watched as the Walker noticed them and went to them. They attacked it in turn until Dale chopped it's head off with an axe.

"It's the first one we've had up here." Dale said.

Maddy was clutching to Danni as she avoided staring at the body.

"They're running out of food in the city…" Jim said.

They all held their breath as they heard shuffling in the leaves. Danni got up and she put Maddy behind her as a man emerged from the woods. He looked around and then had a little tantrum when he saw the deer.

"Oh God." Amy said as the head began to move.

"Come on people, what the hell." He said as he shot it in the head. "It's got to be the brain – don't ya'll know nothing?"

Danni assumed this was Daryl Dixon. He wasn't that much taller with her, he wore a grey sleeveless shirt that was damp around his neck and on his chest, and he had dirty-blonde hair and facial hair to match.

He tore out his arrows. "Do you think it would be okay if we cut out the chewed up parts here?" He asked.

"Man, I would not risk that." Shane replied.

"That's too bad." He said as he adjusted the rope that was over his shoulder. "I got us some squirrel – 'bout half a dozen or so…" He looked around and then he walked away from them. As he walked past Danni he gave her an odd look like he recognized she was new to the group before he walked off. "Merle!" He called out. "Get out here! Got us some squirrel! Stew-em up!"

"Hey Daryl, would you mind slowing down? We need to talk to you." Shane said as they followed him.

They all followed him, Danni was curious, she had imagined someone taller – scarier looking even.

"'bout what?" He said.

"'bout Merle…" Shane said. "Something happened in Atlanta."

He paused and looked at them. "He dead?"

"We're not sure." Shane said.

He looked annoyed. "Well, he either is or he ain't."

"Look, there's no easy way to say this – so I'll just say it." Rick said.

"Who are you?"

"Rick Grimes." He replied.

"_Rick Grimes_? Is there something you want to tell me, Rick Grimes?" He said.

Danni led Maddy over to join Lori, Andrea, and Amy. "Get into the R.V. baby girl." She said gently.

"Your brother was a danger to us all. So I handcuffed him on the roof – hooked him to a piece of metal… he's still there." Rick said.

"Oh." Daryl Dixon said as he walked away from them a bit, Danni watched cautiously. "Let me process this – you're saying you handcuffed my brother to a roof – AND YOU LEFT HIM THERE?"

Danni saw Maddy watch from beside Lori with wide eyes.

"Yeah." Rick said.

In his anger Daryl tossed his squirrels at Rick, he fell back as Shane barreled into him. He got up and pulled out a knife, without really thinking about it Danni ran forward as Shane and Rick did, she grabbed his wrist that held the knife as T-Dog warned them about it. With a touch on his wrist the knife flew out of his hand as she moved away while Shane pulled him into a head-lock. They got him to the ground as Danni grabbed the knife.

"Choke-holdin's illegal!" He grunted out.

"Yeah, you can file a complaint." Shane said.

"I would like to try and have a calm and rational conversation – do you think we can manage that?" Rick said. Daryl struggled and Shane jostled him as Danni watched. "Do you think we can manage that?"

He calmed down and Shane released him. Danni walked back to join the women, Jacqui gave her a look – she was impressed. "Told you I was a stunt actor." She shrugged. "Basic self-defense is what is needed at a minimum –"

"To hell with all of you!" They heard Daryl yell. "Just show me where he is – so I can get him."

"He'll show you." Lori said. "Ain't that right?"

Rick let out a sigh. "I'm goin' back."

They all sighed and dispersed. Carol joined her. "We want to go to the quarry for laundry." She said gently.

Danni nodded. "Would you mind if I joined you?" She said. "I want to feel like I'm doing something around here."

Carol smiled gently and nodded. "Sure."

Danni curiously watched the woman walk away, she saw the steps of someone whose spirit was broken, and she could have sworn she saw a fading bruise on her upper arm. "Hey Amy?" She said.

"Yeah?" The younger girl said.

"What's up with Carol?"

Amy looked a bit troubled. "So you noticed it too?" She said quietly.

"What's going on?" She said.

"We think Ed's been abusing her." She said in a hushed whisper.

"Just think?" Jacqui said. "I could see those bruises from a long time ago; she keeps saying she fell on a rock, or hit a tree."

"Has no one said anything?" Danni said.

"You think we'd dare?" Jacqui said. "You'd think that man would think about other things than abusing his wife and daughter when the world has gone to hell."

Danni watched Carol with a sad look, she had seen abuse before, there was a woman in her building that was married to a dead-beat guy who was unemployed and he didn't have a single penny to his name, often she could hear them fighting, and more often than not she would find the woman bruised, she would always say just how clumsy she was.

Daryl Dixon awkwardly walked over to her. She remembered she had his knife. She pulled it out and handed it to him. "Sorry." She said.

"Whatever." He said as he put it in his belt. "You new here?"

Ah, curiosity – even the most volatile of men could not avoid it. "Yeah, I am – Danielle – Danielle Mason… everyone just calls me Danni."


	7. Picking Fights

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

I just would like to pause and thank everyone who has so-far liked this story... here meaning putting this story in your Alerts and/or Favorites, and I want to thank you who has been reviewing, I am a big fan of feedback =]

* * *

Danni didn't know them well enough to see them off; she rummaged around for clothes and things to wash when she went with Jacqui, Andrea, Amy, and Carol to do the laundry.

The women watched them as they left before filing into a station wagon as Ed, Carol's husband, drove them down to the quarry. Before Danni left she asked Lori to keep an eye on Maddy, when she agreed she went with the others.

Danni chuckled as she scrubbed a shirt on a washing board. Andrea was amused. "Tell me again how you did that?"

Danni shrugged. "Pressure point in the wrist – if you press hard enough on the nerve the hand kind of relaxes…" She shrugged. "We had to learn stupid things like that."

Andrea chuckled as she and Jacqui got up to get more clothes. "His face was kind of priceless." Amy said.

Danni mockingly bowed her head to them. "All in a day's work," She said with a grin. "I've had to beat up bigger."

"Can someone explain to me how all the women wound up doing this work?" Jacqui said as they watched Shane help Carl catch frogs from the other bank; they chuckled when he made a spectacle of splashing water to scare frogs out.

"The world ended, didn't you get the memo?" Amy asked with an amused tone.

Danni watched Carol look up at Ed who was watching them while smoking a cigarette. "It's just how it is…" She said.

Danni found herself washing while not really listening to what they were saying, she kept an eye on Carl and Shane across the way – their laughter pulled her out of her reverie.

"What's so funny?" Ed said.

"Just swappin' war stories, Ed." Andrea said as they all fell silent. "Problem Ed?" She said.

Danni pushed her hair back with her wrist as she looked up at Ed.

"None that concerns you." He said as he flicked the ashes off the end of his cigarette. "You best focus on your work, this ain't no comedy club."

Andrea looked at Danni and they shared a look.

"You know what Ed?" Andrea said as she and Danni got up. "If you don't like the way your laundry is done – you can do it yourself." She said as she threw him a wet shirt.

He threw it back forcefully at her, shocking Andrea at the sudden wetness on her face. "Ain't my job missy." He said.

"Guys – don't –" Amy said as she stood behind them.

"What is your job Ed?" Andrea said.

He looked at Carol. "Come on – let's go."

"She doesn't have to go anywhere with you, Ed." Andrea said.

"And I say it ain't any of your business –" Ed replied. "Come on."

Carol got up; the look on her face was enough to anger Danni. No man had the permission to hit a woman – especially not his own wife.

"So she can show up with more bruises?" Jacqui said. "Yeah, we've seen them."

Danni kept Carol from going to her husband when she walked up to him. "Hey, don't think I won't knock you back just because –" He started as he poked Danni forcefully in the shoulder. Andrea held Carol back. "Stay out of this." He snarled. "Now come on!" He shifted his weight from one leg to the other. "You know what? This ain't any of your business, ya'll keep prodding the bull here – now I am done talking –" He grabbed Carol's arm.

"No." Andrea said as he pulled her. "Carol you don't have to go –"

They all tried to pry him off. "You don't tell me what!" Ed yelled at them. "I tell you what!"

The moment he slapped Carol across the face Danni pushed him back as Andrea moved to attack him. They were all trying to keep him away from his wife, he threw his fist at random and it got Danni in the eye, they all looked up in shock when Shane ran to their help as he pulled Ed away.

They watched in horror as he pummeled Ed, they were calling out for him to leave Ed alone – that they had it under control, once he was done with Ed, leaving his face a bloody mass he staggered away and glanced at the others, from Danni's black eye, to Amy's terrified eyes.

He looked away before walking off. Danni let out a sigh as she walked over to Ed. "Andrea, do you mind?"

She shook her head as they hoisted Ed up and carried his heavy body into the car. "We'll be right back." Andrea said as Danni ushered Carol into the car, Andrea got into the driver's seat and she drove them back to camp.

Once they had Ed in their tent Danni looked at Carol. "Do you need anything Carol?" She asked.

The older woman shook her head. "No thank you."

She smiled gently as she got up, Andrea had gone back to get Amy and Jacqui. "Okay then." She said.

"Danni, I'm sorry." She said. "About –"

"Don't worry about it." Danni said. "That's what I get for picking fights when I just joined you guys, maybe I need to just stay out of things from now on." She left the tent and gently patted Sophia on her head before she went to sit with Maddy who was reading out of a book. "Where'd you find that?" She asked.

"Lori." She said simply.

Danni grinned; Maddy looked up at her and frowned. "Danni, you need to stop picking fights."

"You know how it is, baby girl." She said with a smirk. "When I need to hit something – I need to hit it." The child looked un-amused. Danni grinned and ruffled her hair. "How do you like it here so far, kiddo?" She asked.

Maddy shrugged. "Everyone's nice…" She said. "And I made friends." Danni nodded with a small, content smile. "Do we have to leave here?" She asked.

Danni shook her head. "No, this is our group now." She said.

Maddy nodded and smiled gently. "That's good, because I don't want to leave."

Danni nodded and then she grinned. "Hey, want to play a game?" She said.

"A game?" Maddy said skeptically. "What game could we possibly play out here?"

"Only the most epic game of hide-and-seek." Danni said with a grin.

A short while later Lori sat chuckling as the children ran about. They were looking for Danni, the only person they had yet to find.

"What's going on?" Morales asked her.

"Danni calls it the most epic game of hide-and-seek." She replied with a chuckle.

"Are they looking for Danni?" Morales' wife – Miranda – said with a curious tone.

"Yeah." Lori said with a laugh.

Carl looked at his mother. "Come on, mom, where is she?"

Lori laughed again. "I can't tell you; that would be cheating."

The boy let out a sigh as he ran off to find the hiding woman. Morales chuckled as he helped his wife hang up the wet clothes with Jacqui.

Maddy put her hand on her hips as she looked around. Shane was sitting on the R.V. steps as he watched with an almost amused grin. He pointed to Maddy and then up at the R.V. "Hey, Carl!" Maddy called out.

They ran back and could see the top of her head. "HEY!" Carl yelled out. "That's cheating."

She poked her head out. "Ain't my fault you're so short." She said. "Who ratted me out?"

Shane winked at Maddy as she grinned evilly. "CHEATER!"

She sat up and stuck her tongue out at the children. They all looked up when Amy and Andrea joined them; both of them carried plenty of fish.

Danni jumped off the R.V. as she joined them. "You guys fish?" She said as she grabbed one of the ropes.

"Our dad taught us." Amy said proudly.

"Whoa!" Carl said. "Can you teach me that?"

"Sure!" Amy said. "We'll teach you everything about nail-knots and all that." She gave her sister a look before she looked at Lori. "If that's okay with you."

"You won't find me complainin'." Lori said with a chuckle.

Morales was gleeful, they would all have a decent meal that night.

Dale joined them, he looked perplexed. "I don't want to alarm anyone." Dale said. "But we have a situation on our hands…"

Danni put Maddy in Carol's care as she grabbed her sword. She looked at Shane as he handed her a walkie. "Keep watch while we figure this out." He said. "With that Walker getting in to our area – and half the guys gone –"

"I get it." She said with a nod as she braided her hair, she slipped a gun into the back of her pants before she kissed the top of Maddy's head and then she went off into the woods. The situation was Jim had been mindlessly digging in the 100 Fahrenheit weather, and everyone was getting scared.

Danni had volunteered to check for Walkers around the area in case more had gotten into the woods like the one they had found that morning. Her sword was fastened to her back as she stared about her, slowly walking further into the woods, they had given her a compass, and Shane told her to look for marks on certain trees that would tell her where she was around the camp.

She heard growling, she quickly ran to the sound and found two walkers stumbling about, she quickly drew her sword as they ran to her; she didn't falter as she slashed one across the torso, its guts spilled to the ground as the legs followed. She then did the same for the other and then stabbed both of them through the face.

She stared at them with a disgusted glance before she walked off; she wiped the blade on their gnarled clothes before she sheathed it again. It was sundown when she walked back to the camp. Shane took her aside; Andrea joined them, as did Dale. "How does it look?" Shane asked.

"Two Walkers." She said. "But that's all… I didn't want to risk going too far out – I figured if one wandered up here –" She looked at Dale. "Our eyes will see them."

Dale nodded.

Shane shifted his weight from one leg to the other. "Let's not scare them." He said. "And keep it between us."

They nodded.

"Look." Morales said. "I built up the pit so we can light a fire and not be seen." He looked proud.

Danni looked at Andrea as they watched Shane go and clean the fish. Maddy watched as Lori cooked them. "These are some good spices." She said to Danni who was helping her.

"Apparently everything was packed." She said with a small smile.

Lori looked at her. "That's one nasty bruise." She said.

"Meh, I've had worse." She said with a shrug. "Right baby girl?" She said to Maddy.

"Once she fell from her bed." Maddy said. "And she needed stitches."

"Because it was your skateboard." Danni said dryly.

Maddy smirked at her godmother before Carl and Sophia grabbed her hands and they ran off. Lori chuckled as they watched the children run off to play.


	8. We Thought we were Fine

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

I just would like to pause and thank everyone who has so-far liked this story... here meaning putting this story in your Alerts and/or Favorites, and I want to thank you who has been reviewing, I am a big fan of feedback =]

* * *

They all sat around the fire, Maddy made a face and Carl and Sophia made fun of her. "I don't like fish." She protested.

"Well eat up, baby girl; this is probably the only real meal you'll get for a while." Danni said.

This made Carl and Sophia laugh at her. She stuck her tongue out at them as she forced herself to eat. Danni chuckled as she turned to Andrea who sat beside her. Danni found herself getting along with Andrea, especially since they were around the same age, the fire crackled and they were all laughing and enjoying a nice beer with their food. Dale was pensive.

"I got to ask you man." Morales said. "It's been killing me."

"What?" Dale asked.

"That watch…"

"What's wrong with my watch?" Dale asked.

"I see you every day, winding that thing like a village priest saying mass." He said.

"I've wondered this myself." Jacqui said.

"I'm missing the point." Dale replied.

"Unless I've missed the signs…" Jacqui said. "The world seems to have come to an end – or at least it has hit a speed-bump for a very long time."

"But I see you – every day – winding that stupid watch." Morales said.

"Time… it's important to keep track of time… isn't it – the days at least… don't you think? Andrea? Back me up… " Andrea grinned awkwardly. "I like what father said to son when he gave him a watch that had been passed down for generations said: 'I give you a mausoleum of all hope and desire which will fit your individual needs no better than it did mine, or my fathers before me, I give it to you – not that you may remember time, but that you may forget it – for a moment… now and then… and not spend all of your breath trying to conquer it.'"

Danni smiled gently. "William Faulkner." She said.

Dale nodded.

"You are so weird." Amy said gently. She paused and got up.

"Where are you going?" Andrea asked her sister.

Amy looked annoyed. "I got to pee – geez, you try to be discreet around here…"

This made everyone laugh.

Danni made sure Maddy ate everything. "Do you want more?"

"No –" She was cut off when the heard a shriek.

They all looked up and saw a Walker biting Amy's arm. "Oh God." Danni said.

"DANNI!" Shane yelled as he tossed her the sword. She grabbed it as she shoved Maddy into Lori's arms.

"Take care of her!" She yelled as she ran to cut at a Walker, he scrabbled for her as gunshots filled the air, she stabbed the Walker through the face, someone shot a Walker that was about to go for her, and it's blood splattered all over her side. Once everything calmed down she saw that the men had returned.

"DANNI!" Maddy shrieked out.

She ran to the 10-year-old and hugged her as she sobbed into her shoulder; Danni looked over at Andrea and Amy. She held back her own sobs as Andrea sobbed over her sister. She felt memories well up inside her – choking her – making her want to throw herself onto the ground and cry.

She dropped the sword as she carried Maddy. "Come on." She said as she carried her into the R.V.; Sophia, Carl, Eliza, and Louis were all brought into the R.V. Miranda would stay with them to watch over the children.

She walked outside and Shane walked over to her. "You said it was only two."

"It was only two." She said as she battled to keep her composure. "I swear – all I saw was two –" She broke off.

All of a sudden she was standing in the living room, the bodies of her friends littering the room with the Walkers. She held the gun in her hand after having shot Barney through the head.

She dropped the gun as she fell to her knees, their blood pooled around her as she tried to keep her tears at bay, Donna's vibrant hair was matted, and the light was gone from Maria's eyes. James had a frown on his face, always a fighter – to the bitter end.

She knew Maddy was upstairs, probably terrified – so she had to do this quickly… she couldn't leave the bodies there to rot, she would have to burn them. She walked to the back yard as she found a shovel; she began to dig a pit that wasn't very deep; she then began to drag the bodies, one by one, into the pit. Once she had gotten all of them she poured gas all over them and struck a match.

The fire burned itself out, and all that was left was a smoking pit of ashes. She allowed herself to let out a pathetic sob as she fell to her knees again, the pit a testament to the lives lost. Her mind went to Maddy again… she had sworn she would take care of her – and she would do it – even if it killed her.

In her bloodied hand she held a silver locket; she had taken it off Maria before she put her in the pit, when she opened it she saw two pictures. Maria, Barney, and Maddy in one side… and Donna, James, Maria, Sarah, and their deceased brother Sean, he had passed away when he was twenty from a sickness. She had shut it and then she shoved it into her pocket.

She was pulled back out of her reverie when Daryl Dixon bumped into her. She shook her head as she grabbed an axe from Lori as they began to take all of those who had died in the fray.

Morning came, and Andrea was still hunched over her sister unmoving. Danni put the axe down as she slowly walked to sit beside her. She stared down at Amy, and was reminded of the many people they had lost. "I'm sorry." She said quietly.

Andrea said nothing.

"… I lost people that were dear to me too." She put her hand on Andrea's shoulder. "You eventually learn how to live with the pain…" She let out a small sigh as she looked up at the R.V. Miranda was sitting on the steps and she smiled sadly her way. She got up and left as Rick walked over to them.

She joined Shane, Dale, and Lori. Carol was sitting on the makeshift couch that had been made out of a torn-out car couch. They saw Andrea pull a gun on Rick and he walked over to them. "Are you kidding me?" Daryl said as he joined them. "You going to let that girl hamstring us? The dead girl's a time-bomb."

"What do you suggest?" Rick said.

"Yeah." Danni said as she scrapped some of the dried blood off her jaw. "You can't just kill her – it would kill Andrea."

Daryl scoffed at her as he looked at Rick. "Take the shot – clean in the brain from here – hell – I can take a turkey between the eyes at this distance."

"No." Lori said. "Just… leave her alone."

Danni realized the hazard of leaving Amy alone, but also she couldn't be the one to do that to Andrea. She walked to the R.V. to check on the kids. Maddy ran at her and hugged her tightly. She was crying and they could hear Daryl yelling at someone outside. "Are you kids okay?" She asked. "Miranda?"

"We're all fine." She replied gently.

She adjusted the gloves on her hands as she smiled gently at Sophia and Carl before she left again. She went to help T-Dog drag a body.

"Ya'll! Jim's been bit!" Jacqui said. "A Walker bit him!"

They dropped the body as they went to him. "Show us!" Daryl yelled.

Jim grabbed a shovel to attack but T-Dog subdued him. Danni watched as Daryl ran forward and lifted his shirt, they all backed away when they saw the bite.

"I'm okay – I'm fine." He said.

They all looked at each other, Daryl looked like he was going to attack Jim, and Danni quickly intervened as she pushed him to the R.V. She sat him down and looked at Daryl; his look was less than friendly. "I say put a pick-axe to his head and the dead-girl's and be done with it." He said.

"Because you would want to be done the same?" Shane said.

"And I'd thank you for it." Daryl said.

Danni shuffled awkwardly before she spoke up. "He… has a point." She said quietly and they all looked at her in surprise. She looked up. "It's only a matter of time before Jim becomes one of them – and Amy – I don't know why Andrea won't just take her. Why would she let her suffer like that?"

"I can't believe I'm saying this." Dale said. "But I agree with Daryl and Danielle –"

Rick cut him off. "Jim is not a monster – or some rabid dog – he is a sick… sick man!" He said. "There has to be a line!"

"I think the line is clear." Daryl said. "Zero tolerance for Walkers, or them to be!"

"What if we can get him help?" Rick asked. "I heard the CDC is working on a cure."

"I heard a lot of things before the world went to hell." Shane said.

"What if the CDC is still running?" Rick said.

"Man that is a long stretch there…" Shane said.

"Why? If there is any government – any structure at all - they would protect those places at all cost." Rick said.

Danni looked over at Jim. Shane was talking and Danni wasn't really listening. She walked away from them as she sat beside Jim. "How are you feeling?" She asked.

"Fine." He said. "I feel fine!"

"Can I see your bite?" She said gently.

He nodded.

She slowly pulled his shirt up as she studied the wound. She winced as she saw the skin around it had blackened. She wondered if they could cut it away. Danni stood up when Daryl moved to attack him. "HEY!" Shane yelled as he stood between Daryl and Danni.

"We don't kill the living." Rick said as he pointed a gun at Daryl.

"Funny coming from a man with his gun to my head." Daryl said.

Shane put his hands up. "We may disagree on a lot of things – but not this… put it down."

He dropped the pickaxe and then walked away.

"Come on." Rick said to Jim.

"Where are you taking me?" He said.

"Someplace safe." Rick said before leading him away.

Danni followed them as she walked into the R.V. with Rick. "Hey." She said as she called for his attention. "Do you think we could cut the infection out?" She asked.

Rick shook his head. "I think the spot is too dangerous to do anything about it."

She nodded and went back outside to help clean up. As she helped pile the bodies Glenn walked up to her. "We're going to bury them." He said.

"I wouldn't expect anything less." She replied silently.

Daryl walk passed them and he stopped to look at Danni with a glare.

"Can I help you?" She said.

He scoffed and walked off. She shook her head as she went to gather blankets so they could wrap the bodies in them. She stopped when she heard a noise; he had stopped from walking away as Danni changed her course to join him again.

Amy had returned as a Walker. Danni wanted to walk over to them but he grabbed her upper-arm, preventing her from moving towards them. They watched her grab her sister's hair as she tried to get a bite out of her.

"Amy, I'm so sorry." She said as she put the gun to her head and she shot her through the head.

Danni watched silently as Amy fell to the ground one last time, and her arm was free once more. She tore her gaze away as she went to help the others prepare the bodies for burial.

She got to work with Morales and T-Dog. They all silently worked and were being watched by Daryl who lingered awkwardly, constantly biting on the tip of his thumb. "Instead of watching us you could help." Danni said as she tied a rope. She didn't even look up. "Make yourself useful."

He scoffed. "The hell you say?"

"I think I was pretty clear." She said as she carried the body with T-Dog as they took it to the back of the blue pickup. "Or did you not understand me?"

"Danni, just forget about it, it's fine." Morales said quietly.

"No, it isn't fine." She replied. "We all have to pitch in."

"You know what?" Daryl said. "You're the new girl – so maybe you should keep your trap shut." He pushed her out of the way. "I do things my own way." He said as he carried a body by himself and then he tossed it into the bed of the truck. He glared down at her as he stalked off.

She rolled her eyes as she continued to help the others. Once they were done they took the bodies to the graves Jim had dug the previous day when he had been delirious from the heat.

Danni lingered in the back with Maddy. The girl was silent, no doubt traumatized from what had happened the previous night, Danni was tired, she had never felt so weary in her life. Maddy clung to her hand as they stopped beside the truck and helped everyone unload the bodies. She didn't know any of the people they were burying; she had only met those that – ironically – were still alive.

She watched T-Dog carry the body of a child; another one was placed beside the first one in one of the graves. She assumed they were siblings – maybe twins. Someone tossed her a shovel and she went to help them bury the bodies.

She felt like she was working on autopilot. With each body she buried, she remembered the bodies of her friends she never got to bury.

Once they had finished, from her pocket she pulled out a silver locket. Maddy recognized it in an instant. It had belonged to her mother. "Danni?"

"I took it of your mom…" She said. "Do you want it, baby girl?" She asked.

Maddy took it and then she crouched down, her small hands dug a small hole; she placed the locket in it before she buried it.

Danni crouched down to look up at Maddy. "You are the bravest… strongest little girl I have ever met." She said gently. "Don't ever change."

Maddy threw herself at Danni as she hugged her, the girl let out a sob as Danni picked her up. She carried her back to camp.

It was so hot, Danni felt like her skin wanted to melt off and the cicadas were singing loudly. Andrea curled up on a chair and then she fell asleep. Danni looked up at Lori who smiled sadly. They were all bloodied and grimy. They all sat around the dying fire silently as the day wore on. "What's next?" Danni said quietly.

"… Rick's thinking about going to the CDC." Lori said gently. "Maybe they have a cure…"

Danni nodded, she scratched at the dried blood on her neck. "I really can't stand this – do you guys mind keeping an eye on Maddy?" She asked.

They all shook their head as she got up and left.

She walked down to the quarry so she could scrub off the dried blood. She removed her damaged sneakers and realized she would have to replace them with something else now. She peeled off her bloody clothes but didn't dare to do the same to her underwear as she stepped into the cold water, it chilled her hot skin and she could see the water turning red from the blood. She scrubbed at her skin the best she could before she got out again and changed.

She walked back to the camp and then she went to her tent, leaving the damaged shoes outside as she rummaged through her bags, she found a pair of combat boots, she grabbed them and stepped outside as she shoved her feet into them before lacing them up. She joined them again as she put her hair into a bun before she sat on a log, Maddy ran to her and sat between her knees as Danni lightly hugged her. Lori was absently shaving wood off a stick.

They all looked up when Rick and Shane joined them. "I've – ah… I've been thinking about Rick's plan… Now we've been friends a long time and I trust his instinct… I think the most important thing now is that we need to stick together…"

They were all silent.

"Thos of you that agree… we leave first thing in the morning…" Shane said. "To the CDC."

They all looked at each other silently. Danni got up and Maddy got up with her as they went to their tent. Danni just wanted to sleep, she was tired she curled up on her sleeping-bag and Maddy curled up beside her. "Do you think we'll be fine?" Maddy asked quietly.

Danni let out a weary sigh. "I don't know, baby girl." She said. "I just don't know."


	9. Heading Out

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

I just would like to pause and thank everyone who has so-far liked this story... here meaning Following this story and/or favoriting it, and I want to thank you to you reviewers, I am a big fan of feedback =]

* * *

The following morning Danni woke up early when Dale poked his head in and gently tapped her. She ran her hands over her face when she nodded and then she sat up once he was gone and pulled her grey wife-beater over the white spaghetti-strap shirt she had slept in. "Maddy wake up." She said in groggy voice.

The girl stirred with a sigh as she rubbed at her eyes. "Danni?"

"Sorry baby girl – we need to start packing up." She said. She put her hair up before she stumbled out of her tent. Glenn was the first person for her to bump into.

"Mornin'." He said, his eyes barely open, the sky was not yet bright.

"Don't we want a cup of coffee?" She asked.

"Hell yeah." He said.

They walked to join the others as they all sat around the dying fire. Shane pointed to Danni. "We can pack things in your truck." He said.

She nodded. "I've got the space." She said. "Whatever you can't fit in the R.V…" She shrugged as she took a bite of the left-over fish.

"Alright, let's finish packing up." Shane said with the clap of his hands.

Maddy was running around with Sophia and Carl as they tried to help Danni load the things into the truck. In went four plastic containers, and everyone's tents. Her things, as well as what got left behind from those killed that they would need.

Daryl walked over to the truck and he tossed his things in the back. "Can I help you?" She said.

"I got to keep my brother's bike on the bed of mine." He said.

"What? No please? No thank you?" She asked. "I'm guessing that's how you rednecks do it?" She looked at the things in the back. "That's cool –"

"Dan." Rick warned. "Now isn't the time…"

"Sorry." She said to Rick, she didn't even bat an eye at Daryl who scoffed and walked off.

About an hour later everything was packed up they all stood in a group. Maddy was standing in front of Danni as she kept her arms lightly around the child's shoulders. "Okay," Shane started. "We're heading to the C.D.C, anyone who has a CB we're on channel 40, try to keep the chatter down, if you don't have one and you have a problem honk once and we'll all stop, any questions?"

"Yeah…" Morales said. "We're not going."

Everyone looked at them in shock. Danni frowned as she looked at Miranda, Eliza, and Louis. Miranda nodded gently, she looked like she was trying to be strong for her family. Danni didn't blame her, her heart ached for them. "We have family in Birmingham; we want to be with our people."

"Do you understand that if you leave you're on your own? We're not going to be there to protect you." Shane said a bit too harshly.

"We understand." Morales said.

Danni watched Shane and Rick mutter to each other before they went to the bag full of guns that they had retrieved when they went to Atlanta to get Merle. Danni hugged Louis and Eliza tightly. "You kids be good, okay?" She asked them gently.

They nodded tearfully as they went to hug their friends goodbye. Danni got up and hugged Miranda tightly. "You are a strong lady." She said. She pulled back and smiled gently. "Good luck."

She nodded. "Thank you." She said quietly.

Lori, Jacqui, and Carol all bid them goodbye as well. Rick and Shane handed Morales a gun and a box of ammo. "Thank you all." Miranda said.

They all nodded. Danni and Maddy went to the truck as they all got ready to leave. In the R.V. Dale was driving, Jim was in the small bedroom with Jacqui watching over him, while Glenn sat shotgun in Danni's truck while Maddy sat in the back. In the station wagon Rick drove while Lori, Carol, Sophia, and Carl accompanied him. Then there was the blue pick-up that Daryl drove, his brother's bike was strapped to the bed, and the final car was a minibus that T-Dog was driving, with him was Andrea, and Shane brought up the rear in his jeep. Danni would be driving at the head, a red car that was as big as hers would be difficult to loose. Glenn held a map and he directed her as they drove off.

Before long they had to stop because Dale's R.V. was smoking.

Danni winced when she joined them. "Can't we Jerry-Rig it?" Rick asked.

"That's all it's been so far – It's more duct tape than hose." Dale said. "And I'm out of Duct tape."

"Well, I see something up ahead." Shane said. "Could be a gas station or something…"

Jacqui stepped out of the R.V. "Ya'll it's him – he's doing real bad…"

"Rick, you want to hold down the fort while I go scout up ahead?" Shane asked.

"Yeah, and I'll go with you." T-Dog said. "I'll back you up."

"Ya'll keep your eyes open now – I'll be back." Shane said.

Danni went back to check on Maddy, she was playing a game with Glenn, he looked up at Danni as she joined them. "Looks like we're stranded here a bit." She said. "You can get out if you want."

Maddy nodded. "Come on Glenn!" She said.

He chuckled and followed her out. Danni moved to the back of her truck as she opened it, she let out an annoyed sigh when she realized her things were in the back. "Hey, Dixon!" She said.

"What?" He said, sounding annoyed.

"You mind helping me move these things? I need to get to the back." She said.

He rolled his eyes but obliged. Slowly the moved things out of the way as she made her way to her bags, once she was able to get to them she pulled out a roll of silver tape. She slid it on her wrist and then rummaged about for more. Once she had pulled out at least four rolls Daryl looked at her curiously. "Why the hell do you have so much duct tape?"

She shrugged. "You never know when you need them." She paused and then winked. "Am I right?"

He fidgeted awkwardly as she walked off triumphantly. Dale thanked her. "You are a Godsend." He said.

She shrugged. "It's not like I intentionally packed them… Jerry-rig her all you want!" She patted his shoulder.

Rick walked out of the R.V. and they all gathered around, Shane and T-Dog had returned. "Jim's…" He started. "He said he wants to be left to die…"

They all looked at each other silently. "And… he's lucid?"

Rick paused as he put his hands on his hips as he looked down at his feet. "He seems to be." He replied. "Yes."

"Back in the camp," Dale started. "When I agreed with Daryl and you were all quick to shut me down – you misunderstood me." Dale shook his head. "I would never agree with callously killing a man, I simply meant that we ask him what he wants, that is all that matters."

"Do we just leave him here?" Shane said. "Just take off? Man, I'm not sure I can live with that."

"It not your call," Lori said as she looked at Shane and Rick. "Either one of you, this is about what Jim wants."

They all agreed at this as she went back into the R.V. "I agree." Danni said as she looked at Rick. "If he wants to be left behind… let him."

Rick nodded and they went to get Jim. Danni went to check on Maddy, Carl, and Sophia. They looked up at her as she joined them. "How are you kids doing?" She asked.

They shrugged. "Fine." Carl said.

She smiled gently before she left them again.

They all watched as Shane and Rick half-carried Jim to a tree. "Now Jim, you know it don't have to be like this." Shane said.

"No." Jim said. "It's good – the breeze feels nice."

Danni watched as Jacqui went to Jim; she said something Danni couldn't hear before she kissed him on the cheek. Daryl was standing beside her as the children joined them. Maddy hugged her around her middle as they watched Rick talk to him, and then Dale. "They should just take him." She whispered. "Not let him reanimate."

Daryl looked at her. "Ain't no one ever listen to me." He said quietly so that the others couldn't hear them.

The others walked away the pair looked at Jim and nodded slightly to him before leaving. Glenn got into the R.V. Danni looked at Maddy as she spoke up. "Danni, can I ride with Sophia and Carl?" She asked.

"You'd have to ask Rick, Lori, and Carol." Danni said.

"We don't mind." Lori said.

Maddy nodded as she went to join them. Danni went to her truck and started the car as Glenn joined her again. Once more they were at the head of the caravan. She was silent as Glenn kept an eye on the map. "Jim was a good friend of yours?" She asked.

"Not really." Glenn said. "But he knew a lot about the City… he mostly kept to himself… they say he watched his family get eaten by the Geeks."

She nodded with a quiet frown. "What happened to Maddy's parents?" He asked.

Danni gripped the wheel tightly. "They were taken." She said. "We were supposed to go as a group to Atlanta…" She stared at the road ahead. "Instead the next morning I woke up to shrieks… and groans… when I went down I saw at least half a dozen walkers had stumbled into the house… I had to stab them all through the head… and then I burned them."

Glenn looked at her in horror. "Does Maddy…"

"I didn't tell her." She said. "But – she's a very smart girl… she's probably figured it out…" Silence enveloped them and nothing was said for the rest of the drive.

It was nighttime when they got to the CDC only for them to find the area was littered with dead bodies and upturned army vehicles. Danni drew her sword as Maddy walked closely to her.

They all sprinted to the building and Rick began to bang loudly on the doors. "Help!" He yelled out in hopes that someone would hear them.

"Walkers!" Daryl yelled out, drawing several terrified shrieks from the children and women. Danni gripped her weapon tightly as she pushed Maddy to Carol and Sophia.

"There's no one here!" Lori yelled.

Danni stabbed a Walker that Daryl didn't get; it fell to the ground with a thud as more approached. With Daryl shooting, and grabbing his arrows again Danni ran around, stabbing as she tried to keep the others safe.

"We have to leave!" Shane yelled.

"Back to the cars!" Danni agreed. She now thought that it was a waste, no one was here. A Walker got too close to her, she let out a surprised gasp but Daryl grabbed the back of her shirt with one hand, with the other he grabbed her hand and guided her sword into the face of that Walker. She pulled her hand back and thanked him; he simply nodded as he shot another Walker down. They seemed to be just coming.

When they made to run back to the cars Rick stopped them. "WAIT!" Rick said loudly. "It moved… the camera moved."

"It's automated." Shane said. "It probably just picked up our movement!"

"No, someone is in there…" He went up to the camera. "I know you're in there… I know you can hear us! Please, we're desperate – we're hungry, and tired, we have women and children with us… please." He pleaded desperately.

Danni saw that the Walkers had stopped appearing, her blade was dripping with blood and grime as she stared at the doors. There was a loud noise as they slid up, they all winced at the bright light that they were bathed in moments later.

With a quick flick of her sword she sheathed it and grabbed Maddy's hand as they all ran inside.

"Hello?" Rick called out.

"Watch out for Walkers." Dale said to Daryl as he brought up the rear.

"Hello?" Rick said again, loudly. The hall was massive and it was empty.

They all heard someone cock a gun, they all quickly turned only to see a suspicious looking man, he eyed them all warily. "Anyone infected?" He asked.

"One of our group was; he didn't make it." Rick replied sadly.

"Why are you here?" He said. "What do you want?" He looked at them, one by one, with calculating eyes that unnerved Danni just a bit – it made her feel… guilty.

"A chance." Rick replied.

"That's asking an awful lot these days." The man said.

"I know." Rick said.

The man looked around at them again and then he nodded. "You all submit to a blood test; that is the only price of admission."

"We can do that." Rick said.

He lowered his gun and then pointed at the door. "If you have things you want to bring in, do it now – when those door shut they stay shut and will not open again for whatever reason." He said.

Danni told Maddy to stay put while she ran outside to her truck. Daryl ran with her. "Keep the containers in here." He said.

"But why?" She asked as she grabbed Maddy's bag.

He looked annoyed. "This is the CDC, if they ain't got food, somethin's gotta be wrong –"

"Oh." She said.

Once they grabbed their things they all ran back into the building. The man introduced himself as Dr. Edwin Jenner. He then led them into an Elevator where they all managed to fit themselves into it, Danni and Maddy stood in the back with Daryl and Glenn.

"Doctors always go around packing heat like that?" Daryl asked as he eyed Jenner's shot-gun.

"While there were plenty left lying around I familiarized myself with them." He replied. "But you look harmless enough… except you – I'll have to keep my eye on you." He said as he looked down at Carl as he attempted to make a joke.

Maddy looked up at Danni with an amused grin.

The elevator ride was not a very long one, before long they were out into a hallway. "Are we underground?" Carol asked as she glanced around at the white walls.

"Why, are you claustrophobic?" Jenner asked as he glanced back at her.

"A little…" She admitted as she put her hand on her daughter's shoulder.

"Try not to think about it."

"Is that the best you can do Doc?" Danni asked with an awkward chuckle.

The all walked on down the hallway until he led them into a dark room. He looked around and then he spoke up, "Vi, bring up the lights in the big room." They all winced again as lights flooded the room to reveal a massive work station full of dead computers and screens. "Welcome to Zone 5."

"Where is everybody?" Rick asked as they looked around. "The other doctors, the staff?"

"I'm it… it's just me here." Jenner said as he gestured to the empty room.

"What about that person you were speaking with?" Lori asked as she looked around, hoping to find another person there. "Vi?"

"Vi, say hello to our guests, tell them… Welcome." Jenner said.

"Hello guests, welcome." The woman's voice said.

"An Artificial Intelligence system." Danni said in awe.

"I'm all that's left." He said to them. "I'm sorry." He looked around at them. "Follow me."

They followed him through the room into a smaller room that looked like a Lecture Hall as he pulled out a cardboard box from a closet.

They all sat on the chairs that filled the room. Danny lightly drummed her fingers on her knees as Maddy sat beside her. "Who's first?" Jenner asked them all.

Rick sat down and he cast them all a glance as he held out his arm.

After Rick Daryl went to sit down in his spot, Jenner meticulously worked on each of them with steady hands. Danni led Maddy to the chair as she little girl watched with wide eyes.

"Most children would be afraid." Jenner said.

"Not me." Maddy said.

Jenner looked questioningly at Danni. "Your daughter is very brave –"

"She… She's my goddaughter." She said. "Her father was a very brave man too…" She smiled gently down at Maddy who went to sit with Carl and Lori. Danni sat down in her spot as she watched Jenner tighten the band around her bicep. He then touched her arm to look for the vein, when he found it he rubbed alcohol onto it and then he stuck the needle into her flesh. She always hated needles but she chose to watch as crimson blood swirled into the syringe.

Once he pulled it out again he put a band-aid on the tiny wound before she got up. Andrea got up after her and Danni sat down, she felt a bit lightheaded. When was the last time they had a real meal?

As Andrea got up she swayed a bit and Jacqui was instantly at her side. She murmured words of comfort to Andrea who nodded slightly.

"Is everything okay?" Jenner asked, there was a look of concern on his face.

"She hasn't eaten in days." Jacqui said. "None of us have."

Jenner looked at them thoughtfully as he gathered the samples. "I'll be right back."

They lingered in the room, Danni got up and she walked to Daryl. "I just wanted to thank you." She said quietly.

"What the hell for?" He asked.

"Saving me like that back there." She said as she leaned on the wall beside him. "If I died… Maddy…" She trailed off as she stared at the girl, she was laughing quietly as she snatched Glenn's hat away from him. "I'm all she has… and she is all I have…"

"I don't like you much." He said as he eyed her. "But whatever – we're a group – I sure as hell ain't goin' let us be down by one because of human stupidity."

She shrugged and watched Maddy move to sit with Sophia. The two girls grabbed Carl and the three children began a very silent game of whatever it was kids now-a-days did when they were bored.


	10. The Simple Comforts

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

I just would like to pause and thank everyone who has so-far liked this story... here meaning Following this story and/or favoriting it, and I want to thank you to you reviewers, I am a big fan of feedback =]

* * *

A while later Jenner joined them once more. "Follow me." He said.

They nodded and got up as they grabbed their things. They looked about happily when he led them to a dining room that was probably the cafeteria, he had pushed up several tables to make a long table and around it were many chairs. But what brought laughter to their weary faces was all the food that was spread out. They looked at Jenner and he smiled. "Enjoy."

They all sat down as they poured themselves wine, Sophia and Maddy were between Carol and Danni Dale was gleefully pouring wine, he had obviously had a glass already so he was in a good mood.

"You know in Italy children have a little bit of wine for dinner… And in France." Dale said as he tried to pour wine for Carl who asked if he could taste some.

"Well, when Carl is in Italy or France he can have wine." Lori said with a laugh as she put her hand over his cup.

"Come on." Rick said with an amused grin. "What's it going to hurt?"

She shrugged as she lifted her hands up. "Fine."

They all fell silent as they watched Carl cautiously take a sip and then grimaced. "Eww!"

"That's my boy." Lori said as she took the quarter full cup and poured it into her glass.

Danni happily poured herself some of the Alcohol as she sat back, Shane laughed as he looked at Carl. "Best stick to your Soda Pop, bud."

"Not you Glenn." Daryl said as he got up to get something from the table.

"What?" He said with a laugh, his cheeks were ruddy from all the alcohol he had consumed.

"Keep drinking little man, I want to see how red your face can get." Daryl said with a smirk.

Danni rolled her eyes but chuckled as she poured herself some more to drink. Maddy watched with a crinkled nose. They all looked up when Rick hit his spoon against his cup and then he stood up up. "Seems like we haven't thanked out host properly." He said as he looked to Jenner who sat there watching them.

"He is more than just our host." T-Dog said as he raised his glass.

Everyone agreed and Daryl held up his bottle. "Booyah!"

Danni laughed, a good buzz settled in her brain as she held up her glass "Booyah!" She called out; Jacqui said it with her as did T-Dog and Lori.

"So when you gun' tell us what the hell happened here, doc?" Shane said all of a sudden.

Everyone fell silent. Danni frowned. "Do we have to do this right now?" She asked as she got up from her seat, she moved to lean on the counter behind where she was sitting.

"All the, uh, other doctors… the ones figuring this out… where are they?" Shane said, disregarding her question.

"We're celebrating Shane." Rick said as he glanced up at Danni. "We don't need to do this now."

"Oh wait a second." Shane said with a scoff. "This is why we're here isn't it? This was your move – supposed to find all the answers, instead – we found him… just one man… why?"

"That doesn't matter right now." Danni said. "What matters at the moment is that we are safe –" She started but Shane cut her off.

"So your sayin' your fine with not knowing where the hell everyone is?"

"Well," Jenner started as he cut off the soon-to-be argument. "When things got bad. People just left… went off to be with their families… and when things got worse, and the military quadrant was obliterated – the rest just… bolted."

"Every last one?" Shane said, looking a bit too smug. Danni scowled as she looked at him, she crossed her arms over her chest as she looked at Jenner.

"No. Many couldn't face to walk out the door. They… opted out… there was a rash of suicides… that was a bad time." Jenner said.

"You didn't leave." Andrea said. "Why?"

"I just kept working… hoping… to do some good." Jenner said quietly.

"Dude… you are a total buzz-kill." Glenn said to Shane; his giggly mood was gone, they were all feeling a bit heavier with the information they had just received.

Silence fell upon them and they continued their meal in silence. Danni went back to sit beside Maddy as she watched her finish eating.

Once they were done, and they had cleared away the table Jenner led them down another hallway, he looked back at them briefly. "Most the facility's powered down – even the housing area, but the offices aren't that bad – and the couches are comfortable… there are cots in storage if you want them…" He told them as he gestured to the doors they passed by. "There's a rec-room down the hall that you kids might enjoy – just don't plug in the video games – or anything that draw power. Same applies to the rest of you – if you shower… go easy on the hot water." He then left them.

Glenn turned around and smiled slowly as if not believing what he had just heard. "Hot water!"

They all rushed off to chose rooms.

Maddy happily hopped about from one foot to the next as Danni prepared her things so she could take a bath. Danni let her take a shower first as she studied the room. It was a simple office; there was a desk in one corner, and a book-shelf full of medical books. She walked to the desk and took the liberty to rummage through the desk.

"Dan?" T-Dog said from the door.

She turned around and saw he was holding a cot. "Figured you'd need one." He said.

"Thank you." She said as she took it from him. He put pillows and sheets on the couch before leaving her. She went back to the desk and she found scissors in one of the drawers. Once Maddy was done she ran off to join Carol, Lori, Sophia, and Carl. Danni grabbed her things and the scissors as she went into the bathroom, once she shut and looked the door she began to peel of her clothes, she left them in a heap by the door before she walked to the mirror in the bathroom, she stared at her reflection in the dim light. Her face looked narrower than she remembered, and her brown eyes looked tired. What annoyed her the most at the moment was her hair, in her opinion it hung too long for the situation they were in. She grabbed a fistful of her hair and she cut it away. Before long she had hacked away her hair so it hung just past her earlobes. Once she fixed her bangs she tossed her hair into a bin and then she stepped into the shower, the jet of water turned warm when she adjusted it and happily she stood under it.

When she was done, and she watched all the blackened water that rolled off her go down the drain she grabbed a towel and dried herself off, she then put on her grey sweats and blue tank-top. She ran a hand through her hair, not used to having it so short, as she walked into the room again. Maddy was waiting on the couch, her eyes widened. "Danni! Your hair!"

"Yeah, I know baby girl, I thought it was time for change." She said.

"I like it." She said.

Danni smiled. "How about you get to bed?" She said.

She nodded and curled up on the couch, Danni covered her with the blanket before she left the room. She saw Shane walk by furiously, he had a cut on his neck. "Whoa, what's that from?" She asked.

"Ah –" He said. "It's nothing – I guess I scratched myself in the shower." He then stomped off. She shook her head as she headed to the kitchen; she rummaged through the cupboards before she heard someone call out.

"They're here."

She walked to the voice and saw Daryl sitting against the wall beside the massive fridge, he squinted up at her. "Who the hell are you?"

"It's me, Danni." She said dryly.

He squinted again before he grunted and passed the bottle to her. She sat down beside him and took a swig before she passed it back. "Why the hell did you go and cut your hair for?" He asked.

"For convenience." She replied.

"Looks weird." He said as he took a drink.

"Thanks." She said as she grabbed it back.

When the bottle was empty they grabbed more as they sat there drinking in silence. Before long it felt like it was a silent challenge to see who lasted the longest without passing out, they silently stared at each other as the bottles pilled up.

The last thing she remembered was Daryl's smirking face.

The following morning Maddy watched Danni silently. She had dragged Lori in as they watched her. "Is she dead?" She asked.

Carl stood with his mother as he looked up at her. "Can we poke her mom?" He asked.

Lori let out a sigh; it was too early for this. "Maddy honey, how about we go have breakfast and we let Danni sleep?"

"Is she hung-over?" She asked as they walked out. "Once I was sleeping over and she had too much to drink, and she woke up puking with a headache and she said she had a hangover."

Lori chuckled. "I would assume so."

"Lori?" Maddy asked.

"Yes?" She said gently.

"What's a hangover?" She asked.

Lori chuckled. "Maybe we'll tell you when you're older."

Maddy puffed out her cheeks as they walked into the kitchen.

Danni woke up with an audible groan, she felt terrible. 'What the hell happened last night?' She thought as she got up. She quickly ran to the bathroom when she felt the world tilt around her so she could throw-up.

When she felt like she could move better she stumbled out of the room, wincing a bit as she walked into the cafeteria. T-Dog was the first to see you. "Whoa, what happened to you?" He said.

"Last thing I remember is drinking with Dixon." She said as she plopped down in a chair.

"Are you hung-over?" Maddy asked her.

Danni winced as she looked down at her goddaughter. "How do you know what hung-over means?" She asked.

"I don't know what it means, but Lori says you might be." She replied.

"Yeah, Lori is right." She said.

"Here have some protein." T-Dog said as he put a plate of eggs in front of her.

"I would kill for a cup of coffee right now." She said as she hungrily consumed the eggs, she could tell they were powdered, but they were still divine.

"Just how much did you drink?" Lori asked as she passed her some aspirin.

"I have no idea…" She groaned as she took a pill and swallowed it dry. "All I know is I'm never doing it again."

"That's what you said last time." Maddy said.

"Sounds like someone has a problem." Dale said lightly as he joined them.

"It isn't a problem." She said. "My best friend was Irish… His wife had an Irish mother and a Scottish father…" She thanked T-Dog as he handed her a mug of coffee. "So I was taught to drink like an Irishman." She sipped the coffee. "Oh sweet divine angels of caffeine how I have missed you." The children giggled at her display. She held up the mug. "Now a days comforts like this are rare."

"Amen to that." Jacqui said.

Carol brought attention to Danni's hair. "I see you're trying a new haircut?" She asked.

"Yeah." Danni chuckled. "More convenient this way."

Glenn stumbled in as he groaned and plopped down as he continuously rubbed his face; Rick soon followed "Morning." He said. Daryl walked past him and sat on the counter.

"Are you hung-over?" Carl asked his dad with a smile. "Mom said you would be."

"Well, mom is right." Rick said with a groan.

"Mom has that annoying habit." Lori said as she ate some bread.

"Eggs." T-Dog announced to the newcomers. "Powdered, but I do 'em good." Glenn groaned loudly again and Jacqui hugged his shoulders lightly as she grinned at his plight.

Danni looked over at Daryl. "I blame two out of the many hangovers in this room on you, White Boy." She said.

"Shut up Winky." He said.

Her eyes widened. Just what had she told Daryl the previous night, the triumphant smirk on his face told her she had said too much.

"Bet you can't tell." T-Dog said to Glenn. "Protein helps the hang-over."

"Where did all this come from?" Rick asked as he looked around at everything.

"Jenner." Lori said. "He thought we could use it… some of us at least." She chuckled as they all looked at Daryl.

Shane finally walked in groaning and then he poured himself some coffee, T-Dog frowned. "Hey, that's a nasty scratch."

It was the same scratch Danni had noticed the previous night.

"Must have done it in my sleep." Shane replied as he lightly touched it. It looked nasty and grotesque.

"Maybe you should have it checked." Danni said.

"Nah." Shane said as he sat down.

"Never seen you do that before." Rick said oddly.

"Yeah, it's not like me at all…" He said as he glanced over at Lori. Danni frowned, just what was going on, last night he had told her he might have accidentally cut himself in the shower, now he said he had done it in his sleep… Something fishy was going on.

"Morning." Jenner said as he walked in to join them.

They all mumbled their replied before Dale looked up. "Not to slam you with questions this early in the morning…" He said Danni had a feeling this was something he had been building up to all morning.

"But you will anyways." Jenner said as he poured himself some coffee.

"We didn't come here for the eggs." Andrea said.

"Good as they may be."

He looked at them and let out a sigh. "Follow me."

Danni looked at everyone else, they were curious – just what would Jenner have to show them… what secrets did the CDC hold?


	11. No One is Safe

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

I just would like to pause and thank everyone who has so-far liked this story... here meaning Following this story and/or favoriting it, and I want to thank you to you reviewers, I am a big fan of feedback =]

Also... Winky explained ;-)

* * *

Danni grasped Maddy's hand as they followed Jenner; Jacqui fell into step with Danni. "Winky?" She said.

Danni could see Daryl smirking from the head of the group. She turned to Jacqui. "I must have been drunk enough to tell about one of the most embarrassing moments in my teen years." Danni said dryly.

Jacqui looked amused as Danni began to remember that particular moment in her life, she had been at least 15 or 16 at the time, and she had stumbled upon a book teaching flirting techniques to teens, it had been a cheep book and she still hadn't had a boyfriend when most girls her age had – especially since Home Coming had been nigh and she didn't have a date.

She realizes now how foolish she was at the time, but she was 15, most people were at that age.

One of the tips in the book was winking… she thought it meant winking all the time… so that was exactly what she did, to every boy she found that she liked.

While it didn't get her a date, it did get her a nickname that painfully stuck until graduation.

Winky.

God she hated that nickname, and if Dixon knew about Winky who knew what else she had told him.

Dale looked concerned. "Danielle? Your face looks pale, are you alright?"

"Wink if your fine." Daryl said.

She glared at him. "You!"

"I won." He said with a shrug. "You passed out."

"Won?" She said.

He remained cryptically silent as they entered the main workstation. "Give me a playback of TS-19." Jenner said as he looked up towards the ceiling.

"Playback of TS-19." Vi said.

Danni sat in one of the seats as she pulled Maddy into her lap as a scan of a human appeared, it seemed to be an X-Ray or something of the like, Danni wouldn't rightly know, but she knew she had seen something similar used in one of the movies she had worked in. "Few people have ever got a chance to see this." Jenner said to them as they continued to watch the screen. "Very few."

"Is that a brain?" Carl asked in amazement.

"An extraordinary brain." Jenner replied. "Not that it matters anymore." Danni had a feeling that that brain was more than just an extraordinary one, the way Jenner said it – the way he explained it… the remorse in his eyes… this was someone who was very dear to him. She tore her gaze away as she continued to watch the screen.

"Take us in further, Vi." Jenner said.

"Enhanced view." The robotic woman's voice said from above.

Awe seemed to fill the room as they all watched breathlessly, they could see lights zoom through the brain, the nerves, and it sped like little lights.

"What are all those lights?" Shane asked as he leaned on one of the dead computer systems.

"It's a person's life," Jenner began. "Experiences, memories, it's everything… somewhere in all that organic wiring, in all that ripples of light… is you – the things that make you unique…"

"Do you ever make sense?" Daryl asked as he lingered in the back.

"It's called Synapses." Jenner said. "Electric impulses in the brain that carry all the messages – the determine everything a person says and does from the moment they are born to the moment they die."

"Die…" Rick started as he stared up at the screen before he looked at Jenner again. "Is this what this is? A visual?"

"Yes," Jenner replied. "Or rather… the playback of the visual." Jenner was staring at the screen as he said this, the tenderness and remorse were both back in his eyes.

"This person died?" Andrea asked oddly but gently. "Who?"

"Test Subject 19," He replied almost robotically. "Someone who was bitten and infected, and volunteered to have us record the project." He paused a bit and then he spoke again. "Vi, scan forward to the first event."

"Scanning to first event."

They watched as it scanned forward and then slowly the lights were gone, and the brain faded into blackness, though Danni didn't understand it, it filled her with a sadness she couldn't explain.

"What is that?" Glenn asked from her left.

"It invades the brain like meningitis," Jenner explained. "The Adrenal glands hemorrhage, the brain goes into shutdown, then the major organs… then death… everything you ever were or will be… gone."

"Is that what happened to Jim?" Sophia asked her mother.

"…Yes."

Maddy looked up at Danni. "Is that what happened to everyone?" She asked quietly. "Mom, dad… grandma and grandpa?"

Danni gently nodded. "Yeah, baby girl." She said gently. "I'm sorry…"

Maddy stared back at the screen and Danni felt guilt. Andrea let out an upset sigh as she moved away from the screen.

"She lost somebody two days ago." Lori explained to Jenner when he looked questioningly at Andrea. "Her sister."

"I lost somebody too; I know how devastating it is." Jenner said. He looked down at Andrea sadly. Danni frowned, was there anyone who wasn't losing someone these days?

He backed away with little sigh. "Scan to the second event." He said heavily.

"Scanning to the second event."

"The resurrection time is very wildly weak, I've had reports of time as little as three minutes – the longest time recorded was eight hours. In the case of this patient it was 2 hours, 1 minute, 7 seconds." He said. Danni wondered if this patient meant anything to him, if that brilliant brain they were watching was the person that meant a lot to him.

She turned her gaze to the screen once more, a moment later the synapses started up once more – only this time it wasn't full of life and fast, it was red… irregular… it looked like an abnormality. Slowly Danni gently pushed Maddy off her lap as she got up to stare at the screen. The scan of the person began to move. "Reanimation…" Danni said in awe.

"It restarts the brain?" Lori asked oddly.

"No," Jenner said. "Just the brain stem… basically it gets them up and moving."

"But –" Rick started.

"Are they alive?" Andrea asked.

"You tell me." He told them as he gestured to the screen.

Rick shook his head. "It's nothing like before… most of that brain is dark." He said as he pointed to the red lights. "It feels… wrong."

"Dark… lifeless…" Jenner said.

"But … that person is clearly alive again." Danni said. "That person is moving!"

Jenner nodded. "The frontal lobe, the Neo Cortex – the you… doesn't come back again… it's just a shell driven by a mindless instinct."

"… Mindless hunger?" Danni asked. Jenner nodded.

They saw a flash go right through the head. "God." Jacqui said as they all jumped in surprise, clearly not anticipating it.

"What was that?" Carol questioned.

"He shot his patient in the head." Andrea said slowly.

"Vi, power down the main screen and the work stations." Jenner said as he began to walk away.

"Powering down main screen and work stations."

"You have no idea what it is, do you?" Andrea said as he turned to them once more.

"It could be Microbial, viral, parasitic… fungal…" He said lamely.

"Or the wrath of God." Jacqui said.

"There's that." Jenner said.

"Somebody must know something." Andrea said. "Somebody… somewhere…"

"There are others… right?" Rick asked. "Other facilities…?"

"There may be some." Jenner said. "But we lost contact a long time ago."

"What do you mean you lost contact, you'd think a place like this would have back-ups -!" She was panicking, she stepped forward but a hand closed around her wrist, she turned around to look at Daryl who was frowning.

"Are you saying that there's nothing left?" Lori asked.

Jenner was silent.

"Man, I'm going to go get drunk again." Daryl said. "Come on Winky."

She had obviously become a grudging – yet favorite - drinking buddy.

"Dr. Jenner," Dale started. "I know this has been taxing on you… but that clock… it's counting down… what happens at zero?" He drew everyone's attention to a clock that was, indeed, counting down.

"The… basement generators run out." Jenner said slowly.

"And then?" Rick asked.

Jenner refused to answer.

"Doc, what happens?" Danni asked quietly.

He still did not answer.

"Vi, what happens when the power runs out?" Rick asked aloud as he spoke to the system.

"When the power runs out facility-wide decontamination will occur."

They all looked at each other. "What's that supposed to mean?" Danni asked.

The pair sat in the room Daryl had been occupying, Maddy was with Carol and Sophia as the two passed a bottle between them. Danni was thinking about what they had seen on the screen. "What do you think it all means?" She asked as she looked at him.

"How the hell should I know?" He said as he passed it back.

They sat in silence until the lights went out; as they sat there the lights went out. They got up and walked out of the room. "What's goin' on, the lights just turned off?" Daryl asked with a slur.

Jenner passed by them as he grabbed the bottle from Daryl. "Energy use had been prioritized now." Jenner said as he walked through the hall.

"Lights aren't a priority? And Air?" Dale asked.

"It's not up to me; Zone 5 is shutting itself down." Jenner replied as the lights in the hall went out.

"Hey, what the hell does that mean?" Daryl asked angrily as they followed Jenner. "Hey man, I'm talking to you – what do you mean it's shutting itself down? How can a building do anything?"

"You'd be surprised." Jenner said.

"Jenner, what is happening?" Rick asked as he joined them.

"The system is dropping all non-essential uses of energy. It's designed to keep the computers running until the last possible moment, and we've just reached the half hour mark." The clock was now at the half hour mark, Jenner took another drink from the bottle before handing it to Daryl who snatched it back grumpily.

"It was the French." Jenner said.

"What?" Andrea asked.

"As far as I know. While our people were bolting out the door – and committing suicide in the hallways… they stayed in the labs 'till the end." Jenner said. "They thought they were close to a solution."

"What happened?" Jacqui asked.

"Same thing that's happening in here, the power grid ran out of juice… the world runs on fossil fuel… how stupid is that?"

Maddy clutched to Danni tightly.

"Let me tell you something." Shane began angrily as he climbed up to join Jenner.

"Like hell I care – Shane… enough – Lori – go get everything… we're getting out of here now!" Rick yelled.

They heard alarms and everyone let out surprised cried.

"30 Minutes until decontamination." Vi said.

"Doc, what'd goin' on here doc?" Someone yelled.

"Ya'll listen to Rick and get your stuff!" Shane said.

"Everybody let's go!" Rick yelled.

Maddy was hyperventilating, Danni had never seen her so terrified before; she crouched down to look at her as Daryl looked down at her. "What the hell is wrong with her?" He said as metal doors went up.

"She's having a panic attack." Danni said quietly. "Baby girl, look at me – look at me." She said quietly. "You're okay; we're going to be fine."

She wasn't so sure herself, Danni felt like she too was on the brink of having a panic attack, but she couldn't – she had to be there for Maddy.

Daryl tried to attack Jenner; they pulled him away as Danni hugged Maddy tightly. Rick walked past her to talk to Jenner. "Jenner, open those doors now."

"I can't, everything topside has shut down." He said. "The emergency exits are sealed."

"Well open them!" Daryl yelled.

"That's not something I control, the computers do – I told you… once those doors close there is nothing I can do – you heard me say that. It's better this way?"

"What is?" Rick asked loudly. "What happens in 28 minutes?"

Jenner remained silent.

"WHAT HAPPENS IN 28 MINUTES?" He and Shane yelled.

"You know what this place is?" Jenner yelled at them. "We've protected the public from very nasty stuff! Weaponized smallpox! Ebola strains that could wipe out half the country! Stuff you don't want getting out – EVER!" He sat down and he calmed down a bit. "In the event of a catastrophic event – a terrorist attack… for example… HITs are deployed to keep any organisms from getting out."

"HITs?" Rick asked.

"Vi, define." Jenner said in a defeated voice.

"H.I.T, High Impulse Thermodynamic fuel air explosives consist of a two stage aerosol air emission that produces a blast of significantly greater power than and duration than any explosive except nuclear pressure as it ignites oxygen between –"

Danni felt tears force their way out of her eyes, she had never felt more terrified in her eyes as she clutched Danni to her chest. Carol hugged Sophia tightly as Rick hugged his family."It sets the air on fire." Jenner said. "No pain, it puts an end to sorrow… grief… an end."

Daryl looked down at Danni and saw the tears on her face as she clutched Maddy tightly; it seemed to have set him off as he ran to throw the bottle on the metal doors. "Open the doors!" He yelled.

Danni tried to soothe Maddy who was now sobbing loudly in her shoulder. "Shh Baby girl… Shh…" She said gently. She could hear the others talking to Jenner, but she didn't want to take part of it, right now her top priority was the sobbing girl in her arms. "I promised you it would be okay, didn't I?" She asked gently.

Maddy nodded.

She kissed the top of Maddy's head as she gently placed her beside Carol. "Please watch out for her." She said as she got up. "Throw me an axe!" She yelled.

Shane obeyed and tossed her one as she and Daryl continued to slam on the doors in hopes that they could break them open.

They paused when they heard Jenner say. "This is our end."

"This isn't right." Carol said with a sob as she clutched both Sophia and Maddy. "You can't just keep us here."

"All it takes is a moment… a millisecond… no pain…"

"Our children don't deserve to die like this." Danni said angrily.

"Wouldn't it be kinder, more compassionate to hold your loved ones and wait for the end?" Jenner said.

This set Shane off as he grabbed a gun and he aimed it on Jenner. "DO YOU WANT TO DIE?"

"Shane no!" Rick yelled. "If he dies we all die!"

"Shane! Listen to him!" Lori yelled.

Shane began to shoot around. Danni ducked to cover Carol, Maddy, and Sophia from any ricocheting bullets. "I think you're lying." Rick said. "About there being no hope, or else you would have bolted a long time ago… or taken the easy way out. You didn't – you chose the hard path. Why?"

"It doesn't matter." Jenner said.

"It does matter." Rick said.

"It's because I made a promise… to her…" He pointed to the screen. "My wife –"

Danni saw Daryl hit the doors, she gripped her axe again as she went to help him, she didn't have the patience to listen to them. Together the pair hit at the metal doors, they paused a bit when the doors opened. "Come on!" Daryl yelled.

Danni ran to get Maddy, the girl clambered onto her back as they ran out to grab their things. Daryl looked back at her. "Can you run around with her on your back?" He asked.

She nodded, they were already at their rooms; the others had not yet followed. She put Maddy down as she quickly packed up, she strapped her sword to her back as she grabbed her duffle bags; Daryl tossed her his bag as he pulled Maddy onto his back, he then grabbed both axes and they ran out.

Once they were topside the doors were locked, they tried everything to break the glass, even shoot at it but nothing happened.

"I have something." Carol said as she looked through her bag quickly.

"I don't think a nail-file will work here, Carol." Shane sneered.

She pulled out a grenade and she held it out to Rick. "I found it in your pocket when I washed your pants."

They all paused and then Rick nodded. "Duck!" Shane yelled and they all ran away to get to a safe distance and Rick paused a moment before running their way, he jumped the moment it exploded and landed beside them.

When the smoke had cleared they ran to their cars, there were Walkers outside, Danni unsheathed her sword as she cut down one before stabbing it in the face, she cleared the path to the cars as the sound of gunfire blazed in the air; Daryl quickly put Maddy into the back of Danni's SUV as Danni shoved things into the trunk.

She quickly got into the drivers seat as she looked down at her watch, Daryl hadn't gotten into his truck yet. "DARYL GET DOWN!" She yelled. He quickly dove into her truck; that is when she saw Dale and Andrea outside. "GET DOWN!" She yelled again.

She quickly dove into the back as she covered Maddy with her body as the explosion shook the area. Once the building was ablaze she sat there, staring at the flames. "Jacqui never left…" Glenn said quietly.

She let out a quiet sigh as she climbed back into the driver's seat. They all just sat there for a moment before their Caravan moved on. Danni was trying to keep her hysterical sobs at bay as she drove at the front of the group. Glenn grabbed a map as he looked at her, she was wondering just where they would go next.


	12. Lost Child

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

I just would like to pause and thank everyone who has so-far liked this story... here meaning Following this story and/or favoriting it, and I want to thank you to you reviewers, I am a big fan of feedback =]

* * *

Danni let out a sigh as she grabbed a bottle of water from Glenn as he reached back to fish one out. "Thanks." She said.

"Sure." He said as he sat back down. She felt the truck give a shudder. "What's that?" He asked.

She let out a silent curse as she checked the gas. "We're running on fumes." She replied as she stuck her hand out the window, calling for everyone to stop. Within moments everyone had gathered around the truck.

"What's wrong?" Rick asked.

She patted the truck. "I need to fill her up." She said. "She's been running on fumes."

"Do you still have some gas?" Shane asked her.

"Yeah, I still have some left." She said as she thrust her thumb in the back. "But I doubt it'll get me very far, we used some of it for Dixon's truck and for yours." She gestured to Shane.

"We could siphon the rest of the gas from mine." Daryl said. "We'll need your truck; it's new – and big… good for cargo."

She looked at him with a shrug. "That would be nice, but what will you get along on?" She asked.

"Merle's bike." He replied as he shoved his hands into his pockets. "I'm just goin' have to shove whatever I haven't with ya."

"Seems fair." She replied.

T-Dog handed her the siphoning gear as she grabbed an empty container from her truck before they went to the back of the line of their cars so she could empty the fuel from Daryl's truck, he was busy unloading the bike from the back it while she opened the gas cover. She could see Maddy sitting with Carl, Sophia, Lori, and Carol.

She began to siphon it; while she did she looked up at Daryl as he busily tended to the bike. He must have felt her stare because he looked up at her. "What?" He asked.

"Man, it's killing me." She said.

He smirked, seemingly knowing exactly what she meant. "What is?" He asked as he pulled down the bike.

"What did I say?" She asked.

"Ain't sayin' nuthin'." He said as he began to empty the truck.

"But –" She started.

"Not my fault you're a lightweight, Winky." He said, obviously enjoying her confusion.

"That!" She pointed at him. "That right there is one of my darkest secrets! How the hell –"

"It's killin' ya." He said. "The fact that you can't remember all the things you've spewed while drunk, and I do."

"You're enjoying the fact that it is." She said.

"I am." He said.

"Sadist." She muttered as she saw that no more gas could be taken. She grabbed the container and the things before she handed them back to T-Dog, she walked to her truck and opened the gas cover.

"Ain't no one tell you to give me all that fuel." He said as he brushed past her to put things in the truck.

"I can't exactly control what the hell I do while wasted." She shot back at him.

"That ain't my problem." He said as he put his crossbow aside for a moment.

"Isn't there a way I could possibly persuade you to tell me?" She asked coyly, thinking that would work. All it did do was earn her an annoyed – yet uncomfortable stare from Daryl before he grabbed his crossbow again. "Come on!" She said as she followed him. "I want to know if I said anything else that's horribly embarrassing!" Lori looked at them with an amused glance.

Daryl abruptly turned, she almost ran into him, he considered her for a moment and then shrugged. "You said plenty embarrassing things." He said bluntly. "I ain't gun' tell anything to you though."

"But I own them!" She cried out as he walked away.

"I know you do." He said.

"Tell me!" She said.

He ignored her as he got onto the bike and got it started, she grumbled as Glenn and Maddy followed her back to the truck, Glenn had a smirk on his face. "Shut it, Pizza Boy." She said as she slammed the door shut.

Maddy giggled as she watched her caretaker throw her silent tantrum. They continued to drive silently as Glenn told her which roads to take; they were now heading to Fort Benning, and Danni was leading them once more.

She could see Daryl smirk as he brought his bike up to her side; she glared ahead as she gripped the steering wheel tightly. She let out a silent sigh, she couldn't really remember the last time someone annoyed her like that… in a light-hearted manner. Although Daryl was everything but light-hearted, she found herself recalling her life before L.A. before she moved to the big city, before she became a stunt performer, back when she was nothing but a simple girl from Kansas, she had grown up on a farm in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do but help her dad out in the farm, and watch movies she loved so much.

Maybe that was why she did so well in the Stunt world, growing up doing hard jobs around the farm, being the first born of a family of five boys that did not come about until she was eleven, she would help around the farm as much as she could.

High school had been somewhat of a nightmare for her, she was always alone because she didn't have any social skills to boast, her only friend had been a tall senior that had the same dream as she did, to break out of their lazy town and go somewhere where life was fast and full of adventures.

Barney had always been her best friend; they always had each other's backs for as long as he was in school, and when she graduated they left everything behind. They left Kansas, they left the small nowheresville they lived in and made their way with the money they had saved up for four years.

It had been a while since she last saw her family, they hadn't been too happy she left – they weren't happy she chose to not go to college like everyone else would. But they did not cut her off like so many people thought her parents should.

But before long they just lost touch, the fast life took hold and Danni found herself never out of work, most people wouldn't believe that a simple stunt performer would actually say that they were working a lot, but it was true – soon she and Barney were working in every movie they could get into the crew of.

She frowned as she wondered what happened to her family, her five brothers, were they alive?

"DAN!" Glenn yelled.

She let out a curse as she hit the breaks, the truck screeched to a halt.

"WHAT THE HELL WOMAN!" Daryl yelled at her. "What'd you do? Fall asleep behind the wheel?"

"Geez, I was thinking! Get off my case!" She yelled back at him.

"Get off your case, huh, don't think you'd appreciate that when you get your little girl killed." He snarled.

This shut her up. She looked up and saw the street was littered with cars, it was like a graveyard. She pressed her forehead to the wheel as she let out a sigh. "Maddy, are you okay? Glenn?"

"Yes." The child said.

"Don't freak us out like that, Dan!" Glenn said as he clutched his heart.

"Sorry Pizza Boy." She said with a wry grin. Daryl went back to talk to Rick who was driving the R.V. He then rode back to talk to Danni.

"I'm gon' see if there's a way through." He said. "And wake up." He left them.

She let out a groan. Glenn studied her closely. "Dan, are you okay?" He asked silently.

"I'm fine." She said in response. "I just…" She shrugged. She unbuckled her seatbelt as they got out of the car to head to the R.V.; Daryl had returned and told them that there was no way to get through.

Dale looked concerned. "Danielle, are you okay?" He asked her.

"I'm fine." She said as she put an arm around Maddy. "Really… I just – I guess I just drifted off…"

He still looked concerned.

She smiled gently. "I'm fine, I promise."

"Fine short of a car-wreck." Daryl said dryly.

She rolled her eyes. Moments later Dale's R.V. began to smoke. Danni and Dale went to the front of the R.V. as they forced the front grill open; they both winced when a burst of smoke flew out at them. "What's wrong Dale?" Rick asked as he joined them.

"We're stuck here in the middle of nowhere without a hose, that's what's wrong." Dale replied.

"I bet we could find one out here." Danni said as she looked out at the car-graveyard. "Hell, we can probably find a lot of things out here."

Daryl agreed as he rummaged through the things in the trunk of a car.

"We can siphon more gas." T-Dog offered. "While you all scavenge…"

"Food and water." Carol agreed.

"This is a graveyard…" Lori said and everyone fell silent as they looked at her. "I don't know how I feel about this…"

"I could keep watch." Danni offered. "While the rest of you hunt, I can scout up the road." She grabbed her sword from her truck as she strapped it to her back. "Make sure no stray Walkers get to the rest of you."

They nodded. She grabbed a bandana from the truck as she tied it about her head; she then crouched down beside Maddy. "I want you to stick with Glenn or Daryl or any of the others," She said. "Okay? If anything happens, listen to them." Danni looked up at the pair as they nodded. She then looked down at Maddy once more and the child nodded. "Good girl." She hugged Maddy tightly. "Be safe baby girl."

"You too." She said.

Danni got up, ruffled her hair, and then left.

Sweat made her shirt stick uncomfortably to her back and chest as she walked ahead, the cicada song was loud, sometimes she had the urge to yell at them 'Yes, I know it's hot! Shut up!' she simply shook her head as she walked on. The cars were full of rotting corpses, hadn't they turned? She frowned and realized that none of them were bit.

What did they die from? Dehydration? Hunger? She shook her head as she continued to walk between the cars, her boots crunched broken glass; she drew her sword for safety. She poked her head into a car and that is when she heard it – groans.

She looked up and her eyes widened. Walkers, they were only a few but still they were walking her way, she ran forward and slashed two at the same time, they fell to the ground but still scrabbled for her, she stabbed them through the faces before attacking more, her eyes widened when she saw more coming in.

Daryl kept an eye on the kid as she rummaged with Glenn, he didn't trust the Asian with her, hell he wouldn't trust himself with her but he sure as hell wasn't going to let some kid get injured or lost because he wasn't paying attention, he was a jerk, but he wasn't that much of a jerk.

They heard yells, and someone running, and groans, lots of groans. They all turned to see Danni running frantically, her sword was sheathed and her arm was bleeding badly, she was clutching it to her side as she ran. "Kid!" Daryl yelled as he caught Maddy's attention, he grabbed her and shoved her under a car as the others did the same, once Danni was close enough he grabbed her and shoved her beside her girl.

Danni was breathing heavily but Maddy had clamped her small hands over her mouth to keep her from drawing attention to themselves as the Walkers shuffled by. She decided the girl had a good head on her shoulders. Danni clutched her stinging arm, she had cut it on some glass when she fell through a car because a Walker got too close, the cut ran from her shoulder to her elbow and it was bleeding badly.

They heard the terrified cry of Sophia. Maddy's breath caught in her throat as Danni's eyes widened. What was happening out there?

Once the herd had passed Danni rolled out, Maddy got out and they all saw Rick run into the woods as Carol held back her sobs. Maddy ran over to Carol, Danni was about to but was stopped by Shane. "Whoa, we got to check that out." He said.

He led her to the R.V. and she saw T-Dog nursing a similar wound. "You too?" She asked.

He nodded.

Daryl was staring at her arm before he walked off, they were able to wash the cuts and roughly bandage them but that was all they could do. A while later Rick returned. "Did Sophia get back?"

They all looked at him. "What?" Shane asked.

Rick spat a curse to the ground. "I told her to get back here – to keep the sun on her left shoulder –" He said.

"Are you saying an eleven-year-old girl is going to know how to do that?" Danni asked.

"We should send out a search party." Lori said.

"And what do you suggest." Shane said dryly. "Send out everyone?"

Rick put his hands on his hips. "I'll go back…"

"I'll go too." Danni offered.

"Hell no." Shane said. "You're no good to us."

"With all that blood loss," Daryl said. "You're better off dead."

"Gee, thanks." She said dryly.

"We need you, Daryl." Rick said as he turned to him. "To track her down."

He nodded and grabbed his crossbow, it was no secret, Daryl was the hunter – if anyone could find Sophia it would be him.

"And I'm going too." Shane said as he grabbed his gun.

"And me." Glenn said as he wiped the sweat off his face.

"I'll keep watch." Dale said with a nod.

Danni looked over at Carol who was being comforted by Lori, Maddy and Carl sat sadly to the side, she then lifted her gaze to look at them. "You find that child and bring her back." She told them sternly.

They nodded before jumping over the divider and running into the woods.

Dale turned to T-Dog and Danni. "If we don't get you two proper care… who knows what will happen…"

"Let's worry about finding that little girl Dale." Danni said. "Before we worry about two adults losing their limbs, no child should be lost in the woods, especially after something like that – who knows if there are Walkers in the woods." She was speaking quietly so Carol wouldn't hear her, the woman was devastated, Danni prayed with all her heart that they would find Sophia soon because she knew if they did not it wouldn't only affect Carol, but everyone else in the group.


	13. Things Went Bad

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

I just would like to pause and thank everyone who has so-far liked this story... here meaning Following this story and/or favoriting it, and I want to thank you to you reviewers, I am a big fan of feedback =]

* * *

Danni watched Maddy as they sat in the R.V. Rick and Daryl were still in the woods and the others were waiting for them. Carl walked into the R.V. and he sat with them, Glenn had returned a while back. "How about you two stay here?" She asked. "Keep each other safe."

They nodded as she got up and left so that she could help them clear a path. "You sure you can do anything?" Shane asked her.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She said as she got into a truck and she got it started. She pushed a Sedan with the truck as she got it off the way. She got down and went to clear away some more. Once a path was clear Danni went to scavenge. She walked quite a ways before she stopped at what looked like it used to be a catering truck, she couldn't rightly tell as the lettering had faded. She could hear Carl and Maddy yelling. She ran over to them and gasped when she tripped over the hand of a body, she let out a cry when she fell on her arm.

"Danni?" Andrea said as she ran over to her.

"I'm fine." She said with a wince. "I fell on my arm." She got up as she grabbed her arm. "Carl and Maddy –"

"They're fine." She said.

"I thought –" She muttered. "They would stay in the R.V."

"They're kids; they sure as hell aren't going to listen." Andrea said with a shrug.

Danni let out a sigh as she leaned against a car. She watched Maddy and Carl carry something over to Shane. "I'm not cut out for this." She said quietly. "Caring for a kid… in a time like this…" She crossed her arms. "If she gets lost… or she dies – I don't… I just don't know what I'll do."

Andrea looked her squarely in the eyes. "You have to be strong for her and for yourself." She said.

"… Yeah." She agreed.

The day wore on and they hadn't returned yet. Danni walked over to Carol with Andrea. The sun was setting and there was an orange haze in the sky, it if were any other time Danni would be comforted by the color, now it only foreshadowed darker events to come. She prayed they found that child.

"It's late… they aren't back yet…" Carol said quietly to Andrea.

"They'll find her." She said gently. She looked up at Danni who nodded and stepped closer to Carol as she put her good arm around her shoulders.

They finally saw Rick and Daryl trudging back to them. "You didn't find her?" Carol asked once they were close enough.

"The track went cold… and it's getting dark… we'll pick it up again at first light." Rick promised the mother as he stepped over the rail.

"You can't leave my daughter out there alone, to spend the night alone in the woods." Carol said, she was on the verge of tears – Danni didn't blame her, her 12-year-old daughter was out there on her own in woods she didn't know where Walkers could be lurking about.

"Searching in the woods is no good; if we go out there we'll just be tripping about." Daryl said. "And more people will just get lost."

"But she's only 12 and she's out there on her own, you didn't find anything?" Carol said, she was trying her hardest to not sob.

"I know this is hard." Rick said. "But I'm asking you not to panic. We know she was out there…"

"We tracked her for a while." Daryl said.

"We need to make this an organized effort." Rick said. "Daryl knows the woods better than anybody; I've asked him to oversee this."

Danni kept her grip strong around Carol, the woman was hyperventilating and she noticed blood on the pair. "Is that blood?" She asked.

"We took down a Walker." Rick said.

"God…" Carol said.

"There was no sign it was ever around Sophia." Rick said as he tried to get Carol to calm down.

"How can you know that?" Andrea asked them.

The pair hesitated before looking at the others and Danni nodded. "I see, you cut him open to make sure…" She said.

"Yeah." Daryl nodded.

Carol had to sit down. Danni and Lori sat down beside her as she looked up at Rick. "How could you leave her out there?" She asked. "How could you just leave her?"

"Two Walkers were on us…" Rick said. "I had to draw them off… it was her best chance…" His eyes were pleading for her to understand him.

"He had no other choice…" Shane said.

"How was she supposed to find her way back on her own, she's just a child… she's just a child!" Carol sobbed.

Danni looked at her and tears prickled in her own eyes.

"I had no other option." Rick said, looking close to tears himself. "I… I had no other option…"

"I'm sure no body here doubts that…" Shane said.

"She's a brave little girl." Danni said as she looked at Carol. "She's going to be just fine… You'll see… we will find her…"

Night fell and Danni checked the cut, it wasn't a very deep one despite all the blood that had gushed from it, unlike T-Dogs, she would be fine in the morning. Daryl walked over to the truck and he threw open the trunk door as he rummaged for his bag. She was sitting against the car and Maddy was asleep inside. She pulled up her knees to her chest as he pulled off his shirt and then he tossed it to the ground, she let out a sigh as he slid on a black shirt and then he sat down beside her. He crossed his arms over his chest as they stared at everyone else as they walked about. "Aren't you going to tell me?" She asked.

"No." He said.

She let out a sigh.

"What do you care if I told you what I know?" He asked.

"I don't know; it's nice to know just how much of an idiot I made of myself." She shrugged.

He didn't say anything.

She wrapped her arms around her knees. "Did the trail really go cold?" She asked.

He nodded. "Yeah… it just… stopped." He frowned.

She mused about the situation silently. Would they find Sophia? It was night and she was starting to doubt they would.

"Don't you even think it." He said dryly.

"Think…" She looked at him.

"We sure as hell are going to find that little girl!" He all but yelled at her.

"I didn't say we wouldn't." She said.

"But you had that stupid look on your face." He said. "The one that says we ain't gunna find her." '

She had an odd smile on her face. "You really are something else, Dixon." She said.

"The hell's that supposed to mean?" He snapped.

She studied his face. "Just what did I tell you?" She said quietly.

He snorted. "This ain't about you."

"Something's different about you." She said. "You're nicer."

He snorted. "I ain't nice."

She got up. "I'm sure you aren't." She said as she got into the truck, he snorted as he remained seated against the truck.

Truth of the matter was something had happened and he sure as hell wasn't about to tell her, the fact she had forgotten it because of her drunken stupor was a blessing. That night had been something unlike anything he had ever experienced; Dannie was an honest drunk, the kind of drunk that couldn't shut up once she started talking.

He hated the things she had said, but nothing rang truer, and it did stir something within him. She had yammered on about her family back in Kansas, and how they lived on a farm… how she had left them to be someone, and how they didn't stop her – or cut her off for dropping out of high school to chase after a crazy dream.

But it wasn't that story that disturbed him. It was the story about her friend, Barney – the father of that little girl. He was like a brother to her, she had said, and then she had begun to sob about how she would do anything to keep Maddy happy and safe.

Devotion like that was something that was unfamiliar to him, he had made a drunken promise to her after she began to sob about how alone she felt that he would do his best to be there for both her and the girl. He always groaned about what alcohol made him do. But he was the kind of person to never back down from a promise, even if it was made in a drunken haze so he did his best to keep his eye on both girls without involving himself too much, after all – he sure as hell didn't need them to burden him.

His mind began to wander to how their group seemed to run, with Jacqui gone there was a strong yet gentle voice that was missing, not that he knew her well – but it seemed like she cared… maybe had she still been with them Sophia never would have run off like that and gotten herself lost in the woods.

He looked at the R.V. and it hit him that everyone in this camp had someone to look after – well… except the Asian boy, Glenn, and T-Dog. They were pretty much loners like he was. Rick had his family… and Shane kept chasing after Lori – they didn't think anyone noticed… but he noticed… he sure as hell noticed the pair running off in the middle of the night and then not returning until morning. But he wasn't about to tell Rick, it wasn't his business. He wasn't nosy like the old coot on the R.V. to stick his nose in other peoples' business.

The old coot, he kept forcing Andrea to know he was there for her, and Carol had her little girl. He thought about the pair sleeping in the truck behind him and then he thought about the lost girl.

He had to find her. Because he knew the others were useless, he knew he was going to be the one to find her because he wasn't about to let their group lose more members.

Daryl Dixon wasn't famous for liking everyone in the group, but they were all one big… weird… family… Even he was willing to grudgingly admit that. He lost Merle; he wasn't willing to lose anyone else.

Inside the truck Danni stared at the ceiling, the moonlight glinted gently off the square light cover. Her good arm was under her head as she crossed her legs and was lying across the seat-bench of the truck. She was thinking about how everything had gone the past two days. She let out a sigh as she thought about Sophia, she wanted to go out into the woods and look out for her, but in the dark she would be useless, and she would probably get lost too.

The following morning they all filed around Shane and Rick as he rolled out an arsenal of knives, Danni strapped her sword over her shoulder, she had leather straps around her bandage to keep it from falling off as the others went to grab their weapons. She walked over to Maddy as she crouched down, the girl looked at Danni. "I want to go to." She said.

Danni frowned. "Maddy…"

"Sophia was my friend." She said.

She let out a sigh. "Maddy –"

"Carl and I talked about it yesterday!" Maddy declared. "We want to help Sophia!"

Danni let out a sigh as she shook her head. "I would prefer you stay with Dale…" She said quietly. "Maddy… please – listen to me –"

"I want to go!" Maddy said loudly.

Danni stared at the girl with a frown as Daryl watched them. "No." Danni said.

"But -!" Maddy began to yell at her.

"You're stayin'." Daryl said. "You best listen to your elders."

They both looked up at him. They saw Carl walk with his dad. "Carl's going." Maddy said.

"Yeah, you ain't Carl." He said dryly.

"Is it because I'm a girl?" She said as she glared up at him.

"Ain't you too young to be goin' off on that feminist bull-" He started but Danni cut him off, she didn't need Maddy to hear his foul language.

"Maddy." Danni said. "You aren't going means you are not going… understood." She said as she stared the girl squarely in the eye. "Now you can get mad, and huff, and cry – I understand, but I will not risk losing you too, I won't be able to keep my attention on you 100% and I don't trust the woods, understood?"

Maddy glared down at her feet.

Danni grabbed her by the shoulders and gave her a gentle shake. "Understood?" She couldn't keep the despair from her voice; the thought of losing Maddy was more than she could bear. The girl looked up at her and seemed to finally understand, she nodded and Danni pulled her into a tight hug. "Stay with Dale and T-Dog." She said gently.

Maddy hugged her back tightly as she nodded. "I promise."

"Good girl." She said gently.

She got up and followed Daryl, she looked back at Dale who nodded with a small smile, she tried to smile back but she couldn't. She grabbed her pack as she put it on her back over the sword as they trudged into the woods. She walked behind Rick as they ended up down a path, Daryl told them to stop when they came upon a tent.

"She could be in there…" Rick said.

"There could be a lot of things in there." Daryl said as he handed Danni his crossbow, she grabbed it as he pulled out a knife from his belt. They watched as he ran silently to the tent and he began to check around it, Daryl looked up at them and Rick looked at the others.

"Carol." He said as he waved her over. "Call out softly… if she's in there yours should be the first voice she hears."

Carol nodded as they stood tensely; Daryl gripped the knife as he stood at the ready by the tent. "Sophia? Sweetie?" Carol called out gently. "Sophia… it's mommy… Sophia… we're all here baby… it's mommy…"

They walked over to the tent and Danni gripped the crossbow read, Daryl had set an arrow in it as she stalked forward with Shane and Rick while Daryl slowly opened the tent. When he opened it the smell of death choked them. "Oh God." Danni said.

Daryl nodded to Danni and the pair walked in. They saw a corpse in a lawn chair. "Dixon." She said as she pointed at his hand.

He walked over to her and spotted a gun. "Looks like this guy decided to opt out." He said.

She nodded, not trusting herself to speak much. The smell made her stomach churn. He nodded and they left the tent, when they were out he grabbed the crossbow again and removed the arrow.

"Is she in there?" Carol asked.

"No." Daryl said. "Just some guy who 'Opted out' as Jenner called it."

Danni nodded as she wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans. They all paused when they heard a noise. Church bells.

They all looked at each other before racing off after the noise.

"Which way?" Shane asked.

"That way, I'm sure of it." Rick replied as he pointed in a direction.

"If we can hear it, then so can Sophia!" Carol said.

"Somebody has to be ringing those bells." Glenn said.

"Maybe signaling they found her." Andrea said.

"She could be ringing them herself." Rick said.

They ran off but Danni paused as she watched them walk off. Daryl turned and looked at her. "What are you waiting for?" She asked.

"… I was just thinking." She said.

"Ain't no time for thinking." He said as he grabbed her wrist. "Come on!"

She ran with them and thought about the church, she knew a church this far out was probably nothing more than a small one, it probably didn't have a steeple… no steeple meant no bells… and no bells meant it was probably automated on a schedule. There were probably speakers that let out the sounds.

Her suspicions were confirmed when they ran out to find the church and a graveyard. "That can't be it." Shane said. "No steeple… no bells…"

They ran through the graveyard to the church and Rick ran up the stairs. He pushed open the doors as Shane, Daryl, Danni, and Glenn joined him. They saw a couple of Walkers within the church, they all stalked in, Danni walked up to one of them as it advanced on her, with a quick slash across it's chest it fell to the ground.

She then stabbed it in the face and then she flicked the blood off her blade. "SOPHIA!" Rick yelled.

"I'm telling you, it's the wrong church, Rick." Shane said. "It's got no steeple – it's got no steeple!"

"… It doesn't need one." Danni said and they all looked at her, she looked upset, tears were in her eyes when she realized they were no closer to finding Sophia than they were yesterday. "Automatic… it's automatic." She said as she tossed herself in a pew.

"What?" She said as Glenn walked out. They heard bells again and they all ran out again.

She hid her face in her hands as she shook her head. When they walked back in she got up and left the building as they walked past her.

She made her way over to the graveyard as she walked between the headstones. The names were faded and the bodies beneath the dirt were long gone. She sat down and stared about her, at all of the tombstones around her. She pulled her knees to her chest as she let out a heavy sigh.

"Why'd you have to be right?" Daryl said.

"I hate it too." She said. "You think I like being right?"

He stared down at her, they saw Shane and Andrea walking about – it looked like they were arguing, not that they cared. "That little girl is still lost." She said her voice shook slightly as if she was on the verge of tears. "The world is a crazy place – and she's lost – out there –" She looked away as she broke off.

She refused to cry, but the thought that Sophia was out there alone was too much for her. No child deserved that fate – especially when she thought of Maddy back in camp.

He pulled her up when everyone filed out of the church and they went to a tree to sit in the shade, Danni patted Carl's head as she leaned against the tree. "Okay, Ya'll listen up, ya'll gunna follow the creek bet back, okay?" Shane said as he walked over to them. "Daryl… you're in charge." He said. "Me and Rick, we're just gunna hang back… search this area another hour or so just to be thorough…"

"You're splitting us up." Daryl said as he shifted from one foot to the other. "You sure?"

"Yeah, we'll catch up to you." Shane nodded.

"I want to stay too." Carl said. "I'm her friend."

There was silence as Shane and Rick looked at each other before they looked at Lori who nodded. "Just be careful, okay?" Lori said.

"I will." He replied as he looked up at his mother.

"When did you start growing up?" She questioned.

Rick hugged Lori. "We'll be with you soon enough."

Lori nodded as she pulled away. Danni grinned down at Carl. "You know you're a pretty brave boy. I bet you get that from your dad."

Lori gave her a look that told her she was right. "Here." Rick said as he held his gun out to Lori. "You remember how to use it?"

"I'm not taking your gun." Lori said.

"Come on –" Rick said.

"No."

"Here." Daryl said. "I've got a spare." It was the gun from the corpse Danni and Daryl had found, Lori took it from Daryl and saw that Andrea didn't look to happy about it. Danni shrugged as she looked at Andrea before they all walked off.

"So this is it?" Carol asked after a while of silence as they trudged on. "Is this the plan?"

"I guess the plan is to whittle us down into smaller groups." Daryl said as he glanced over at Danni who was walking beside him, she seemed to be alert as she looked around, her sword was drawn and she gripped it tightly in her hands, so tightly her knuckles were white.

"Carrying knives and pointy sticks." Andrea said dryly. "I see you have a gun." Danni looked back at Andrea, she didn't like the tone she was using, it was full of spite… whatever had happened at the C.D.C. turned Andrea into a person Danni wasn't sure she liked all that much.

"Why you want it? Here, take it." Lori said as she held out the gun and handed it to Andrea. "I'm sick of the looks you're giving me." She then crouched down again. "All of you." She looked at Carol. "Honey, I can't imagine what you're going through, and I would do anything to stop it, but you have got to stop blaming Rick. It is in your face every time you look at him. When Sophia ran, he didn't hesitate, did he? Not for a second." She paused. "I don't know that any of us would have gone after her the way he did… or have made the hard decisions that he had to make, or that anybody could have done it any differently." She paused as she looked around at them. "Anybody?" She shook her head. "You all look to him and then blame him when he's not perfect, if ya'll think you can do this without him then go right ahead, nobody is stopping you." She took a drink of water.

Andrea handed her the gun again and then spoke silently. "We should keep moving."

Danni had to admit she was impressed by Lori, to speak her mind like that… she couldn't do that if she tried. She looked up at Daryl who shrugged as they continued to walk on. Danni paused when she hard something. "Did you hear that?"

"Gunshot." Daryl said.

"Walker?" Glenn asked.

Lori shook her head. "Rick wouldn't waste a bullet."

"I can double back and check it out." Danni said. "Just to be safe…?"

"No." Daryl said. "We stick together."

"But…" Danni said.

"I said no – we gotta keep looking for Sophia." He pointed at her.

She looked worried. "What if something happened…?"

"I'm sorry…" Andrea said. "I know what you're going through…" She said as she walked over to Carol.

"I suppose you do." She said tearfully. "Thank you… the thought of her… out here… by herself… it's the not knowing that's killing me… I just keep hoping and praying that she doesn't end up like Amy…" Andrea's face darkened and carol realized what she had just said. "Oh God." She said. "That is the most horrible thing I have ever said!"

"No…" Andrea said as she shook her head. "We're all hoping and praying… for what it's worth…"

Daryl scoffed beside Danni. "I'll tell you what it's worth," He said. "Not a thing! It's a waste of time all this hoping and praying… we're going to locate that little girl and she's going to be just fine. Isn't there anyone Zen around here? Good Lord!" He said as he walked off.

"Zen?" Danni smirked.

"Shut up." He said as she fell into step with him.

"You're a good man, Dixon." She said as she looked at him.

"Shut up." He said as they continued to make their way back to the highway.


	14. The Farm in the Middle of Nowhere

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

I just would like to pause and thank everyone who has so-far liked this story... here meaning Following this story and/or favoriting it, and I want to thank you to you reviewers, I am a big fan of feedback =]

* * *

They continued to walk through the woods, Danni looked around. Andrea was missing, they suddenly heard her shrieking. "Andrea?" Lori cried out.

They ran to the source of her voice, Danni gripped her sword tightly as she sprinted ahead of them, the muscles of her legs were burning, she stopped when she saw woman on a horse wielding a bat, she smashed the walker in the head and Danni quickly ran to stab it through the face as she helped Andrea up.

"Lori?" The woman said urgently. "Lori Grimes?"

"I'm Lori." Lori said as she ran forward.

"Rick sent me you gotta come now!"

"What?" Lori said, sounding confused.

"What the hell do you want?" Danni demanded.

"There's been an accident – Carl's been shot." She said. "He's still alive – but you gotta come now…"

"Are you joking?" Danni said as she pointed her sword at the woman.

"Rick needs you – just come now!"

Lori took her backpack off as she handed it to Danni.

"Whoa- whoa – whoa!" Daryl yelled out at Lori. "We don't know this girl! You can't get on that horse!"

"Rick said you had others on the highway!" She said. "That big traffic snarl?"

"Uh-huh." Glenn said.

She began to give them directions to their farm as Danni handed the pack to Lori, the woman shook her head. "No, keep it with you."

Danni nodded as the two galloped away.

"We need to get back now." Danni said as she cut down a Walker with ease.

They turned and ran right back to the highway. They al frantically ran back, Dale looked at them and their horrified faces. "What's wrong?" He asked them, fearing the worst.

"Danni!" Maddy cried out as she ran to her.

"Carl's been shot." Danni said as she picked Maddy up and carried her.

"Shot? What do you mean shot?" Dale asked but Danni was already walking to her truck. Daryl was right behind her as they threw the packs into the trunk and Danni put Maddy in the back seat. Glenn was explaining the situation to Dale.

"Should we head out now?" She asked Daryl who shut the trunk.

They all filed around the R.V. to discuss what their course of action was; they knew they had to leave soon to find Lori, Rick, and Carl. "We have to go." Dale said.

"I can't do it… I'm not leaving." Carol said as she looked around at them.

"The group is split, we are scattered and weak." Dale said.

Danni nodded. "We need to reconnect with each other – maybe we can start a search from there depending on where this farm is… we might be able to widen out search…"

"What if she comes back and we're not here? It could happen." Carol said as she tried to convince them to stay.

"If Sophia finds her way back and we were gone, that would be awful." Andrea agreed.

"Okay." Daryl said. "We gotta plan for this. I say tomorrow morning is soon enough to pull up stakes, give a chance to rig a big sign, leave her some supplies… I'll hold here tonight… stay with the R.V."

"If the R.V is staying, so am I." Dale said.

"Thank you." Carol said gently. "Thank you both."

"I'm in." Andrea said.

"Well if you're all staying…" Glenn started hesitantly.

"Not you Glenn," Dale said. "Take Carol's Cherokee…"

"Me?" He said. "Why is it always me?"

"You have to find this farm, reconnect with our people and see what's going on… but most important, you have to get T-Dog there; that is not an option." Dale said. "That cut has gone from bad to worse; he has a very serious blood infection… you need to get him to this farm and see if they have antibiotics… because if not, T-Dog will die… no joke…"

They watched Daryl go to his truck and he walked back with a bag of medicine and rags. "Keep your oily rags of my brother's bike." Daryl said as he threw the rags at Dale. "Why'd you wait till now to say something?" He asked as he rummaged through the bag.

"That's quite the stash." Danni said.

"Shut up, Winky." Daryl said.

She scowled at him and watched as he fished out some medicine. "Here are some painkillers…" He tossed them some more medicine before he walked off again.

"I'm staying too." Danni said.

"No." Daryl told her. "You go with Glenn and get your little girl to safety – got it?"

"You sure you want to stay here without my company?" She asked with a smirk.

He gave her a look as he put the things away. "Didn't you see the look on her face when you said Carl got shot?" He said. "She sure as hell probably wants to be with her friend right now."

Danni let out a sigh. "What the hell Dixon." She said quietly.

He shrugged. "I'm sayin' it like it is."

"Fine." She said. "We'll go." She looked to Glenn. "We'll go to the farm…"

"Go check on your little girl." He said.

She gave him an odd look as she opened the car door, Maddy was curled up and sobbing. "Hey…" She said quietly.

"I don't want Carl to die." Maddy sobbed.

"Come here." She said quietly. Maddy crawled into her arms and she wrapped her arms tightly around Danni's neck. "He's going to be alright, want to know why?"

"Why?" She sobbed.

"Because his daddy is a tough one – I bet he's a tough one too." She said gently.

Maddy nodded. "Are we going to go see him?"

"Yeah, with Glenn and T-Dog." She said gently. "How about you curl up and sleep?"

Maddy nodded as she unlatched herself from Danni before she curled up on the seat and cried herself to sleep.

She gently shut the door as she saw Glenn and T-Dog get in the car, Glenn nodded to her. She let out a sigh as she looked at Daryl. "Thanks, Dixon." She said.

"Hey, don't go talkin' like we ain't gun' see each other again." He said.

She hesitated a bit before hugging him. "Thanks for looking out for us."

"Idiot." He said as he pushed her away. "Go or you'll get lost."

She nodded as she got into the truck and she drove off after Glenn. She thought about their situation… Carol was shot, Sophia was still lost, and Maddy was caught worrying for her friends. No child should be facing this… it was too much for them.

Night was falling, the road was dark and the only way she could see was by the headlights of both cars. She drummed her fingers on the steering wheel a bit before they made a turn. She saw a lit house in the distance. That had to be the house they were headed to. Danni paused so that they could close the wooden gate Glenn had opened to let them in.

Both cars stopped when they were within the vicinity of the house and they got out. "Should we knock? It looks like someone lives here…" Glenn said.

T-Dog looked at him dryly, he was in pain. "We're past this kind this stuff aren't we?" He said as they walked to the house. Once they were on the porch a woman's voice made them jump.

"Did you close the gate on the way in?" She asked.

It was the same woman from before. Glenn began to stutter about.

"Yeah, we did." Danni said. She leaned forward. "It's you!"

"Look," T-Dog said. "We're here to help, is there anything we can do?"

She noticed his injury.

"It's not a bite – I cut it really bad though…" She said.

"Look, I need to get my little girl…" Danni said.

The woman nodded. "Just walk right on in when you do."

Danni nodded as she left them, she went to get Maddy who was still asleep. The girl stirred. "Are we there?" She mumbled in her sleep.

"Yeah." Danni said.

Maddy was suddenly wide awake. "Carl!"

"Come on."

They walked into the house and Maddy jumped out of her arms, Lori greeted them and Danni hugged her. "How is he?"

"He not out of it yet…" She said quietly. "Rick's been giving him blood…"

"We're here for you." She said gently as Maddy went over to Carl's side where she stood beside Rick's knees to look at her friend.

"Thank you." Lori said gently as Rick put a gentle hand on Maddy's shoulder. The woman took Glenn and T-Dog away.

"Maddy, we should leave them be for a short while, okay?" Danni said gently. "Come on, we'll go sit with T-Dog and Glenn."

Maddy nodded as they left the room. They walked into the kitchen where they sat, the woman got up. "Thanks for your help…?" Danni started.

"Maggie, Maggie Greene." She said.

"Danielle Mason… Just call me Danni." She said as they shook hands.

Maggie looked down at Maddy. "Would you like a sandwich?"

"Yes please." Maddy said quietly.

"Would you like anything?" Maggie asked Danni.

"No thanks… Look, I'm thinking about doubling back and making sure no Walkers followed us." She said as she shifted her weight from one leg to the other.

"I'll go with you." Glenn said.

"No, you stay here with the others – keep an eye on Maddy." She said.

He nodded.

"Here, take this." Maggie said as she gave her a light. "It's pretty strong."

"Thanks." She said as she grabbed it, she walked out of the house and back to her truck as she grabbed her sword. She began to walk the way they came, the light shining on the path so she was able to see clearly. She walked out of the gate and continued up the road, her eyes shooting here and there every so often.

And then she heard them.

Several growls behind in front of her in the distance. She shone the light at them and saw six Walkers stumbling about, they turned to the light and hurried towards her; she stepped back and quickly drew her sword. She cursed when she realized she had to drop the light to be able to cut them down, she tossed it back and the light didn't shut off, it offered her enough light to see the Walkers. She cut one down and stabbed it in the face as another made to grab for her, she let out a cry as she shoved the pummel of the sword into its face, and it fell back as she tried to run back from them. She tripped over the light and fell over the light and onto her injured arm; she let out a pained cry as the Walkers rushed to her.

She kicked one away and it fell to the ground as she stabbed another in the face as it swooped down upon her. She felt decaying hands clutch at her arms, she let out a terrified cry as she rolled away from it, she stabbed it through the face and another attacked her.

Before long all six Walkers lie dead on the road. She crawled away from the stench as she huffed and puffed; the smell was overwhelming it made her throw up.

She rolled to her back and stared up at the starry sky as she gasped for breath. She finally got up, flicked the blood and grime off the sword, and then she got up. She winced, her arm was bleeding again and it was burning. She sheathed her sword and grabbed the light again as she made her way back to the house.

Her left ankle was twisted so she limped her way back to the farm. Glenn was sitting on the porch. "Danni?" Glenn said as he got up.

She must have looked like a mess with blood everywhere and her arm was bleeding again. She limped over to him and he was instantly on her side. "I'm fine," She started. "Just hose me down before we get inside." She said grimly.

"I'll go get Maggie." He said.

She nodded as she leaned against the post as he ran into the house. Moments later Maggie was with them as she led Danni to the side of the house where a green water-hose was coiled up on the side. She drew it out as Danni held the light and sword to Glenn, he accepted them and Maggie turned the water on. "You ready?" Maggie said.

"Yeah." Danni said with a nod.

She braced herself as the cold water hit her; it felt good against her grimy skin in this heat as it washed away blood, mud, and sweat.

She tore off the bandages as she washed the cut before she ran her hands through her hair. She held up her hand and gave Maggie a thumbs-up as she shut the water off. They paused when they heard a truck drive up. Glen looked up. "Shane's back."

"Where did Shane go?" She asked Glenn as she shook her hair.

"To get things so that Hershel can operate on Carl." She strapped her sword to her back as Glenn helped her limp over to them. Shane was limping as he carried things out of the truck.

"Otis?" The old man she assumed was Hershel asked. Rick and Lori rushed out; Maggie supported Danni as Glenn went to help Shane.

"… He…" Shane shook his head sadly. "He…"

"We say nothing to Patricia." The old man said. "Until after, I need her!"

Maggie helped Danni limp into the house. "Let's get your arm stitched up." She said. She nodded as she let Maggie help her into the house. Her face was sad, intensely sad, even as they sat in the kitchen she looked like she was fighting back tears.

"Otis was a good friend?" Danni asked.

Maggie nodded. "I've known him a long time." She said. "Ever since I was a kid… He's been on this farm since before my mother died…"

Glenn walked into the kitchen, he had followed them in. Danni's arm was now stitched up and Maggie was bandaging it. "Who else?" Glenn asked. "Who else have you lost?"

She let out a small sob.

"You said I had to make it okay somehow." Glenn said. "That's been what you've been trying to do, right?" He turned to the fridge that was covered with pictures. "Which ones?"

Maggie got up as she walked over to Glenn, Danni simply turned in her seat. She pointed to a picture of a woman. "Step-mother," She then pointed to the picture of a young man. "Step brother…"

Danni smiled sadly. "I lost people too." She said quietly. "We all have… those are the times we're in."

"Maddy isn't your daughter, is she?" Maggie asked her.

"… No… My goddaughter…"

Patricia walked in and smiled happily. "We saved that little boy."

They looked at Patricia sadly. Danni got up. "I should go see him." She nodded to Maggie and Glenn.

Danni limped through the hall as she walked into the room where Carl was asleep. Lori smiled up at her as she caressed her son's hair. "He's going to be fine." She said happily.

Danni nodded. "Yeah…" She smiled gently as she walked over to the bedside to sit beside Lori. She stared at Carl and never in her life had she felt so relieved. "Maybe…" Danni said, her throat felt tight. "Maybe it means we're going to find Sophia… you know… hope."

Lori nodded as she pressed her son's hands to her lips. "I hope so." She said gently. "I hope so."

She got up to go check on Maddy who was asleep on a couch in the living room. She gently crouched down to study her face, tears clung to her eyelashes; the girl had cried herself to sleep again. She gently ran a finger across her cheek as she stirred and woke up. "Danni?" She said gently.

"Hey, baby girl." She said gently.

"Is Carl okay?" She asked.

Danni nodded with a gentle smile. "He's going to be fine." She said. "Go back to sleep."

Maddy nodded and obeyed. Danni let out a sigh as Hershel walked in. "Let me take a look at your ankle." He said.

"It's fine – I've had worse." She replied.

"It's best to be safer rather than sorry." He said as he watched her get up.

"Fine…" She said as she limped after him.

It turned out it really was just sprained, and he gave her something to wrap it up in. "What happened?" He asked.

Ahh, so he wanted to know what happened on the road. "I came upon six Walkers." She said. "Took them out myself."

He didn't say anything as he left her.

Danni went to sit on the porch, she sat on the swing and before she knew it she had fallen asleep. Her sleep was full of disturbing dreams that seemed to have no end; it seemed like it forever before morning came. The sound of motors brought her back into awareness, she found that someone had draped a blanket over her; she sat up groggily as she wrapped it around her shoulders when she saw that the rest of their group had finally arrived. Daryl got off his truck before he walked over to her.

"How's the kid?" He asked as Lori, Rick, Maggie, Glenn, and T-Dog walked out.

"He's better." She said gently. "He's out of danger…" She hugged herself. "How was it getting here?" She said as she surveyed the others as they went to talk to Lori and Rick.

"Just fine, kinda a long way to come out just for this middle-of-nowhere farm." He crossed his arm. "Maddy?"

"She's probably with Carl." Danni said.

"You look like you've been roughed up." He said.

"Your concern is overwhelming." She said dryly.

"I mean it, you get into trouble?" He said.

"I went out to see if the road was safe… came across six Walkers." She clutched the blanket tighter around her, the air wasn't cold but her bones felt chilled. "How's Carol?"

He shrugged. "Went out lookin' for the kid again…"

"Anything?" She asked him. He shook his head. She let out a heavy sigh as she leaned against the wood post and she tiredly shut her eyes as she hung her head. "At least we're all here together…" She said as she looked up at him again.


	15. The Cherokee Rose

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

I just would like to pause and thank everyone who has so-far liked this story... here meaning Following this story and/or favoriting it, and I want to thank you to you reviewers, I am a big fan of feedback =]

* * *

Danni and Daryl sat side by side as they watched the others build up a grave. "Did ya know him?" He asked her.

"No." She said as she crossed her arms. "When I got here, Shane and Otis weren't here…" She gently pushed the swing back and forth with her legs. "We should probably join them." She said.

"Your little girl?" He asked her.

"She won't leave Carl's side." She replied as she got up. "Not that I really blame her, I mean… right now he's the only person that probably fits into her tiny world… especially now that Sophia is…" She broke off. She held out her hand and he grasped it as she pulled him up. "If I were her, I would stick with him too." She said as she let go of his hand.

They walked over to the pile of stones that marked the grave, she gently patted Glenn's shoulder as she stood between him and Daryl, Hershel was dressed in his finest as his daughter Beth stood between Patricia and Jimmy, the two people who lived on the farm as Maggie placed the last rock upon the grave. Hershel was holding a bible as he opened a page.

"Blessed be God," He started.

Danni stared at the grave, she knew the body wasn't there, she could recall their conversation with Shane earlier in the morning when he told them how Otis had died, Daryl looked like he didn't believe a word he said and Danni wasn't so sure herself, she had learned at the CDC that the Shane Walsh she was seeing now was not the same Shane Walsh she knew all those years ago.

He was a colder, crueler man, someone with a haunted look behind his eyes and malice unlike any other. Danni didn't like this Shane, especially now as he stood in the over-sized clothes given to him that used to belong to Otis.

He had told them that Otis got hurt and voted to get left behind so that Shane could get away, that the Walkers got him because he tried to cover for Shane.

Personally Danny doubted that story, especially the way Shane told it, his eyes would always dart around as he tried to seem convincing. She glanced over at Shane and found herself shrinking closer to Daryl who looked down at her with an almost annoyed look.

Daryl looked over at Shane when he noticed that Danni was staring at him and his eyes narrowed. He knew that look all too well. "Shane?" Hershel said. "Would you like to say a couple of things about Otis?"

Shane shifted in his spot as he looked away from the stones. "I'm not good at it, sorry." He said.

Patricia stepped forward. "Please? You were with him in his last moments." She said. "I need to hear, I need to know his death had meaning."

Shane looked cornered. Yes, Daryl knew that look to well – even as Shane spoke. That was the look of someone who was guilty, someone who had done something that he shouldn't have done, something that was horrible that he couldn't speak about it.

But what was it for him to say anything about it? Daryl figured to each his own. But he hated how he spoke and these idiots hung on his every word, eating it up, he looked down at Danni and saw her shrink further into his side, so she didn't trust him either.

When they dispersed he grabbed her arm and pulled her into the R.V. "What's with the man-handling, Dixon?" She asked.

"You don't believe him too?" He asked her as he pointed into her face.

She pushed his hand away. "No, as a matter of fact, I don't… something about his story just doesn't sit well with me, and I bet Dale would agree with us."

"Keep that old coot out of it." He said. "And you best keep your mouth shut 'cuz it ain't our business."

Danni glared at the floor. "It is if we know something is suspicious –"

"We don't know – we suspect, so it's best we keep our traps shut." He said.

Dale walked in and they both looked up at him, Danni looked tense while Daryl looked annoyed. "Is everything okay in here?" Dale said.

"What do you know about it old man?" Daryl said as he pushed past him.

Danni crossed her arms over her stomach as she looked at Dale. "Danielle?" He said gently. "Is everything okay?"

She hesitated a bit. "Dale… do you… trust Shane?" She asked quietly.

He looked at her with a steady stare. "Danielle? Is there something I should know?"

There was something about him that made her feel like he could see right through her, his face was concerned, and she knew out of everyone in the camp Dale was the one person she should really turn to. "I… don't believe him." She said.

"Who… Shane?" He asked.

"That story… about that guy… Otis – it doesn't sit well with me…" She said. "Daryl too, he just doesn't think… we should say anything." She looked at him. "Says that because we suspect it's best we shut up about it."

Dale nodded gently. "We should stay quiet about it." He said. "Now you should go check in on Maddy and make sure she's fine before you set out to look for Sophia."

She nodded and left. She walked into the house and saw Maddy was sitting on the bed beside Carl as she told him a story; she walked into the room and smiled gently. "You kids doing okay?" She asked.

"Yes." They said.

"Good." She said. "How do you feel Carl?" She asked as she walked into the room.

"I'll feel better when we find Sophia." He said.

She leaned down and kissed the top of his head despite his protests she grinned as she sat back. "I'm about to head out so we can look for her, you kids watch out for each other, okay?" She asked.

They nodded obediently.

"Good." She said as she left. She walked out to her truck where all of her things were and she quickly changed her shirt before anyone could notice, once she had strapped her sword onto her back she went to join the others as they spread out a map on Carol's car. "How long has this girl been missing?" Hershel asked.

"Three days now." Rick replied as Danni stood on Hershel's other side.

"County Survey map," Maggie said as they placed rocks on the map. "Shows terrain and elevations."

"This is perfect." Shane said. "We can finally get this thing organized."

"We'll grid the whole area, start searching in teams…" Rick said.

"Not you, not today." Hershel said. "You gave three units of blood; you wouldn't be hiking five minutes in this heat before passing out." In truth Rick looked haggard, and now Danni knew why, Hershel then looked at Shane. "And your ankle, push it and you'll be laid down for a month and no good to anybody."

"Guess it's just me." Daryl said. "I'm gunna head back to the creek, work my way from there…"

"I'll head out with you." Danni said. "Two people are better… plus we can widen out search that way, keep each other safe in case of Walkers, that Herd back on the highway was a bit too close for comfort, and with the six I dealt with last night…"

Daryl nodded. "Sounds good."

"I can still be useful." Shane said. "Drive back up to the highway see if Sophia wandered back there."

"All right. Tomorrow we do this right." Rick said.

"That means we can't just have our people out there with just knives… they need the gun training we've been promising them." Shane said. Andrea looked happy to hear that.

"I'd prefer you not carrying guns on my property." Hershel said. "We've managed so far without turning this into an armed camp."

"With all do respect, you get a crowd of those things wandering in here…" Shane started.

"This is your property." Rick said to Hershel. "We're guests here… and we _will _respect that." He pulled out his gun as he placed it on the hood of the car. Shane didn't look too happy about it as he did the same, Daryl looked at Danni and they shared a look. "First things first, we set up camp, and find Sophia." Rick said.

"I hate to be the one to ask but someone's got to…" Shane started. "What happens if we find her and she's bit? I think we should all be clear on how to handle that."

"You do what has to be done." Rick said with some difficulty, Daryl didn't look to happy with this question and Danni wasn't thrilled about the fact that they could find Sophia turned.

"And her mother?" Maggie asked. "What do you tell her?"

"The truth." Andrea said.

"We'll gather and secure the weapons." Shane started. "Request one rifle for the lookout… Dale's got experience."

Hershel didn't look very pleased with this so Rick turned to him with a last appeal. "Our people would feel safer, lest inclined to carry a gun." Hershel nodded slowly. "Thank you."

Danni noticed that Glenn was struggling with her tent. She walked over and took it over from him as Shane went around collecting guns. Once camp had been set up Daryl nodded to her. "Be ready to leave." He said.

She nodded as she walked to the gate, Rick called out to Daryl and they spoke momentarily before he joined her once more. "Let's go." He said.

She nodded as she grabbed a pack, it had enough things for the both of them, two water canteens, protein bars, and two light blankets n case they had to stay out in the wild past dark.

The shut the gate behind them as they went into the woods. They glanced around a lot as they trudged between the trees. "Should we start at the creek?" She asked, remembering that they had mentioned starting at the creek last time.

"Yeah." He said. "We'll start there, and we'll go over the trail I picked up last time and see what happens from there." He nodded.

She nodded and followed him down a path. Before long they walked out into a large clearing, in that clearing there was a house, Daryl looked at her as she drew her sword, he nodded and set an arrow in his crossbow as they slowly walked towards the house, their eyes darting everywhere as they went.

The screen door was shut but beyond it they could see a dark house. Daryl kicked the doo open as he aimed his crossbow inside; Danni gripped the sword as the pair stalked into the house. The floor creaked a bit as they walked; he motioned for her to check one side of the house while he checked the other. She nodded and they parted ways.

She looked around; there were signs of someone being here not too long ago. She could see footprints in the dust and could hear footfalls behind her. She let out a shriek when she was surprised by a Walker as she fell back. An arrow quickly flew and it shot the Walker as it fell back. Daryl walked past her as he pulled out the arrow. "Sorry, it shocked me." She said.

"Ya don't say." He said as he pulled her up.

"There was definitely someone here." He said.

"Sophia?" She asked.

"Not sure." He said. "You think she saw the Walker and it spooked her?"

"Or it was alive and turned so she ran." She said as they walked outside.

"SOPHIA!" They called out loudly. He paused then he spotted a flower. She saw it too as she watched him walk over to it.

"… A Cherokee Rose…" She said. "You don't think…" She looked at him as he took the flower, he pointed it at her.

"We're going to find that little girl." He said.

She smiled gently as she studied his face. She nodded and gently took the flower so they could give it to Carol, maybe it would give her hope. "In my pack, grab the water canteen… this is a wild flower – won't last very long in our hands."

He stepped around her and opened her pack, from it he grabbed one of the canteens and he opened it before he handed it to Danni who put the flower in it. "Later we'll put it in an empty beer bottle or something." She said.

He nodded as they made their way back to the farm.

Danni began to recall the story of the Cherokee Rose, it was said that when American soldiers were moving Indians off their land on the trail of tears the Cherokee mothers were grieving and crying because cause they were losing their children along the way from exposure, disease, thirst, and starvation. Some of them simply disappeared. So the elders said a prayer; asking for a sign to uplift the mothers' spirits, to give them strength and hope. The very next day the rose started to grow right where the mothers' tears fell.

The story was one she grew up with, one her father used to love to tell her. She looked at Daryl as he walked ahead of her. She sheathed her sword as she walked closer to him. "You told me too much." He said suddenly.

"I don't –"

"That time at the CDC, you told me too much – now I feel responsible for you." He said as he stopped and looked down at her.

She realized he was not that much taller than her, but even then she looked up at him. "You don't have to be." She said.

"That don't change it." He said. "I feel responsible."

"Why?" She said. "Why me?"

He shrugged as he walked off. "How the hell should I know?"

She looked down at the rose. "I'm told that when drunk, I talk about everything – that's how you knew about Winky."

He nodded as they continued to walk. "Maybe it's 'cause of your little girl." He said. "Somethin'…"

"You aren't the same person I first met." She said. He stopped to look at her. "The Daryl Dixon I first met wouldn't give a fig about anyone here… most of all not this girl… He would have left given the chance."

"Hell, you don't know me!" He said.

"I think I know your type." She said. "But…" She let out a sigh. "You're better… you're a better man, hell – you're probably better than Rick and Shane put together."

"I ain't better than anyone." He said.

"You stuck your neck out for Maddy." She said. "And you saved me… that one night… You are a good man."

He was silent.

"Why did you choose to tell me now?" She asked.

"'Cause you ain't naggin'." He said.

She smiled at him as she shook her head. "I'll admit one thing, Dixon, you are something else."

"Shut up." He said as they jumped over the fence. She led him into the R.V. as she poured water into an empty beer bottle they had found in the sink, she then put the rose in it and saw Carol sitting down sadly.

She gently pushed him forward. "You should be the one to give it to her." She said before she left.

As she walked out Lori was the first person to bump into her. "Anything?" She asked.

Danni shook her head with a heavy sigh. "No, but we will find her." She said as she waited for Daryl to leave the R.V. She went to her tent as she dropped the pack, moments later Daryl joined her again. They sat outside her tent as they stared at everyone going back and forth. "We're going to find her." She told him.

"We sure as hell will." He agreed.


	16. Poisoned

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

I just would like to pause and thank everyone who has so-far liked this story... here meaning Following this story and/or favoriting it, and I want to thank you to you reviewers, I am a big fan of feedback =]

* * *

Danni braided Maddy's hair; she had just trimmed it a bit so it didn't grow too long. She kissed Maddy's forehead and watched her run off to go sit with Carl again. She got up off the porch and walked back to the camp where Carol was hanging up laundry. "Where's Daryl?" Carol asked her.

"He's probably still asleep; don't blame him really, last night he went off into the woods again." She

"I see." Carol said with a gentle smile. Danni hung up a shirt, it was Daryl's. "Anyways, I was thinking about something…"

"Shoot." Danni said as she hung up Andrea's shirt.

"I was thinking about Hershel's kitchen, how it would be nice if we all pitched in and cooked them a nice dinner." She said as she looked at Danni.

"You know I'm all for it." Danni said. "But I think you should ask Momma Hen." She teased. "Whenever she wakes up."

Carol chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, I s'pose so."

Danni winced as she accidentally clipped her finger with a laundry clip. Carol grinned when she saw her wave her hand about. "Although, I'm not quite the 'homely' type, I guess I could help as much as I can… I warn you though… I was only ever used to making myself the random sandwich… and spaghetti." She looked at Carol. "I was always too busy to learn how to do things like that."

"Ah the life of a single bachelorette in L.A." Lori said as she joined them. "I slept in…"

"You must have needed it." Carol said gently. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, but don't let me do it again – especially on laundry day." Lori said.

Danni looked down. "Since you're got this taken care of, I think I'm going to go help the others." She grabbed a shirt with her as she went to join the others as the stood around the station wagon; she threw the shirt to Daryl as she walked past him. He grabbed it and put in on before standing beside her.

"Everyone is getting new search grids today." Rick said. "To as far as the farmhouse Daryl and Danni found, she might have headed further out east."

Shane opened the car door as he sat inside. "I'd like to help," Jimmy said. "I know this area pretty well."

Danni studied the boy; he was young probably as old as her youngest brother, if he was still alive. "Is Hershel okay with this?" Rick asked him.

"Um, he said I should ask you." He said.

"Don't you be lying to us, boy." Danni said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Ain't nothing about what Daryl and Danni find scream Sophia to me." Shane said from his seat in the car. "Anyone could have been holed up in that farmhouse."

"Anybody includes her, right?" Andrea asked.

"I figured whoever slept in that cupboard had to have been yay high." He said as he put his hand up at level with Danni's hip, that was probably how tall Sophia was.

"Good lead." Andrea said.

"Maybe we can pick up her trail again." Rick said as Dale approached with the bag of guns. Danni walked off to grab her things but Lori stopped her.

"Oh no, we need you here today, Maggie just gave us the Okay to cook in his kitchen –" She started.

"And you need a packing mule." She teased.

Lori winked. "Exactly."

"Fine, I'll stay behind today." She said. I guess it wouldn't be so bad if I did."

Lori nodded and watched as Daryl approached them. She smiled at her before she left. "You goin' with me?" He asked.

"I was asked by the Big Lady Boss to stay behind today." She said as she put her hands in her pockets. "Maybe tomorrow." She shrugged.

He nodded and shifted the crossbow higher up on his shoulder. "You sure you wanna be stuck here playin' house?" He looked past her shoulder; she turned and saw Lori and Carol.

"I sure as hell don't want to turn into Andrea." She muttered as Andrea walked past her with a look that they didn't exactly like. "You go and find that girl – I'll stay here and make sure you got a nice warm meal in your belly when you get back." She said as she patted him stomach.

"What the hell." He said as he snatched her wrist.

She chuckled and pulled her hand away. "Get back safely." She said.

He cast her a glance before he marched off. She smiled as she went into the house. Maggie smiled at her as she made her way into the kitchen. "So." She said.

"Let's get cookin'." Carol said.

Patricia and Beth chuckled. Danni sat on the counter. "Oh no you don't." Lori said. "Get peelin'." She said as she handed her a potato.

"GOD!" Danni said.

"You're welcome to go outside and keep watch with Andrea." Lori smirked.

"Noo thank you." She said as she slid off the counter and she began to peel.

Once she had peeled all the potatoes she and Beth began to prepare to bake a cake, she had a family recipe that she remembered by heart. "Usually my mom used to put a dash of whiskey in it." She said as Maddy appeared and she sat on the counter so she could help. She had the younger girls mix the icing since they couldn't use any store-bought icing.

"Yeah, I think we'll leave that out." Lori said.

Carol and Patricia chuckled as she mixed the batter, Danni winked. "Gotch'ya." She said.

This was nice, she thought, as the women all stood in the kitchen laughing – true it was too much of a cliché for Danni but when times were crazy this little bit of normalcy was just what she needed. She jumped slightly when Beth smudged her face with some batter. "Beth!"

She chuckled. "I'm sorry, you spaced out, and it was tempting." The soft-spoken girl said, they all burst out laughing. Danni chuckled as she poured the batter into two cake tins. She used the back of her hand to push some hair behind her ear but it didn't work. "Carol?" She said.

Carol chuckled as she grabbed a hair-clip from Patricia; she pulled Danni's hair back and clipped it behind her head.

"Thanks." She said.

She stuck the pans into the oven and went to help make the salad. They were working happily when all of a sudden they heard a gunshot that made Danni gasp, especially when they heard yells. Rick was yelling.

She quickly dropped everything she had and ran outside, suddenly expecting the worse, the men were outside, and Andrea had a gun – she was perched on the R.V. 'What did she do now?' She thought as she pushed herself to run towards the noise. She stopped when she saw Rick and Shane supporting Daryl. "Is he dead?" She asked.

"Just unconscious." Rick said.

"Why the hell is he wearing ears?" She asked.

Glenn shrugged.

She had them pause so she could inspect him, he smelled and looked like a Walker, but she saw a graze on his temple. "Who shot this bullet?" She asked.

Glenn hesitantly glanced at Andrea. She nodded and let them pass. She cast Andrea a look before she followed them. Rick and Shane carried him into the house. They all shied away from his smell. "Danni, do you mind?" Rick said.

She rolled her eyes. "Men." She said as she nodded. "Beth, get me a bucket full of warm water, and a sponge." She said.

The younger girl nodded and ran off.

"You." She pointed at Glenn. "You're helping me."

"Why me?" He said.

"Because I feel like bullying you." She replied. Hershel followed her as they put him on a bed. She wiped his face clean as Glenn eased his shirt and the makeshift bandage off Daryl.

"Clean around the wounds first." Hershel said. "So I can tend to them."

She nodded and gently turned Daryl to his side when so she could clean the wound that went through his side, looked like an arrow wound. Who the hell shot him?

He finally came to with a groan. "Don't move." She said as she finished wiping it off. Hershel began stitching the wound up. She then cleaned the wound on his temple; her face was grim as she listened to him wince. Once she was done she gave him some gauze. "Press that to your temple for now." She said and then she cleaned off most of the grime off him. She saw T-Dog carrying Sophia's doll. Rick brought up a map with him.

The room suddenly felt very crowded. She got up. "I'm going to go change the water." She said gently as she left. She dumped out the grimy water into the tub before she refilled it again. When she walked back into the room Shane and Rick had left, T-Dog nodded to her before he left with Glenn.

"Looks like I have to almost die to get a sponge bath." He said when Hershel left.

"Yeah… shut up." She said quietly. "Maybe I should have gone with you, and then you wouldn't be in this mess." She said as she sat back.

He snorted and let her bandage him. She left a final time to dump out the water once more before she returned to keep him company. "Found her doll." He said after a long while of silence.

"Shh." She said quietly as she sat up.

They could hear Rick, Shane, and Lori in a hallway through the door. "You'd stop now? Daryl just risked his life to bring back the first bit of hard evidence that we need." Rick's voice said, although a bit muffled, they could hear them clearly.

"That's one way to look at it, the way I see it – Daryl almost died today for a doll." Shane's voice was the clearest; he was probably standing beside the door.

"Yeah, I know how you see it." Rick said.

Danni glanced at Daryl who gave her a look. "Don't you dare –" He started but she was already pressed up against the door with her ear on the mahogany. She heard footsteps, someone was walking away.

"I'm not looking to be a hard-case, I'm just being realistic." Shane's voice said. "He's just got to start making the tough calls, you know I'm right."

She thought he was talking to Rick, that Lori was the one to walk away but she froze when she heard Lori. "I may not agree with all of his decisions, but I respect him, and your way isn't harder – it is the easiest thing in the world to cut our losses and not help… You keep telling yourself you're making the touch calls you're just tryna justify-" Lori was cut off by Shane.

"You know, the only thing I care about in this world is you and Carl, so I apologize if I appear to be insensitive to the needs of others but… You see, I'll do whatever it takes to keep the two of you safe."

"You're abandoning a lost child." It was a whisper, but Danni could make out what was being said. "Really?"

There was a long silence. Daryl threw something at her, it bounced off her butt and hit the floor with a light thud; she waved him off and continued to listen. "My son and I are no longer your problem." Lori said. "Or your excuse." She heard someone walk away and assumed it was Lori. He threw something else at her.

"Would you stop that?" She hissed.

"Get back here." He replied in the same tone.

"Sheesh." She said as she sat down in her seat again. He gave her a look that made her shrug. "What?"

"Keep your nose outta other people's business." He said.

"You know something is up." She said. "Tell me!"

"I ain't gossipin' with you." He said as he turned away.

Her eyes widened. "You do know something!" She walked over to the other side of the bed. "Tell me!"

"You're gettin' on my nerves." He said dryly. She paused as she crossed her arms on the bed and she smiled gently at him. He looked at her with an annoyed glance. "What?"

She shook her head as she got up again. "Look, I have to help them with dinner… But I'll be back later." She said as she removed the clip from her hair before she fixed it and put it back.

"Like I care." He snorted.

She reached over and kissed his forehead. "Rest easy, Dixon." She said as she patted his chest before she left. He watched her leave with a frown.

She saw Shane was still standing in the hall; he was looking at her suspiciously. "You were awfully quiet just now." He said.

"Daryl had fallen asleep." She lied.

"Heard you laughin' just now." He said.

She gave him a look. "Were you listening in?" She asked.

He scoffed. "I could have asked you the same." He said.

She walked past him but he stopped her, she suddenly was very afraid of him. "Shane, I got to go help the others with dinner –"

"What do you think about findin' Sophia?" He asked.

"I think that should be common knowledge that we should find her." She said cautiously. "Why?" She looked at him. "Shane, you're scaring me…" She said.

She gasped when he pinned her against the wall, his arm was on her throat; she clawed on his arm trying to pry him off as he pointed into her face. "You best stay out of other people's business, ya hear? Or it ain't gun' end nicely."

She nodded shakily as she tried to breath, he pushed himself off and then he left her. She slid down the wall as she put her face on her knees.

Lori looked up as Danni walked into the kitchen; she noticed that she looked upset. "Dan?" She said gently. "You okay?"

"I'm fine." She said as she iced the cake.

"How's Daryl doing?" She asked.

Danni nodded. "He's fine." She helped Patricia set the tables. Maddy noticed Danni's face.

"Danni?" She said.

"I'm fine baby girl." She said gently. "How's Carl doing?" She asked.

"He's always sleeping, waking up a bit, and then sleeping some more." She said.

Danni chuckled. "That's how it goes."

Maddy nodded before she sat with Jimmy and Beth. Once everyone sat down to have some dinner and Danni ate Carol got up with her. "I bet he's hungry." Carol said.

"Yeah." Danni said.

"Let me." Carol said gently. "He's done so much for me lately…"

Danni smiled gently. "I understand." She waited a bit for Carol to go upstairs and then come down again, when she nodded to Danni she made her ascent up the stairs but felt a cold stare on her back, when she turned she saw Shane just staring at her. She brought her hand to her throat before she rushed upstairs.

Daryl glared at her when she rushed into the room and she shut the door, it looked like she was running from something. He sat up but winced when he felt pain in his side. She looked over at him. "Don't –" She said as she helped him sit up so he could eat.

"The hell's wrong with you?" He asked her.

She shook her head as she handed him the tray, she sat at the window seat so she could stare outside while he ate. After a long while of silence he let out an annoyed sigh. "Seriously, what the hell is wrong with you?"

"Don't worry about it." She looked over at him and saw the tray was empty.

"Shane say something to you?" He said suddenly.

She took the tray from him. "Some people in our group have poisoned hearts." She said quietly. "You should get some sleep…" She ruffled his hair gently before kissing the bandage. He just sat there silently as he watched her walk out of the room.

Poisoned indeed, just what the hell did he say to her?


	17. Mood Swings

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

I just would like to pause and thank everyone who has so-far liked this story... here meaning Following this story and/or favoriting it, and I want to thank you to you reviewers, I am a big fan of feedback =]

I just thought this would be a nice filler chapter before things got too serious...

* * *

Danni was up early, she kissed Maddy's cheek gently before she quickly changed into a pair of jeans and a black tank-top. She pulled half of her hair into a ponytail before she stepped out of the tent and into her boots. Glenn paused as she bumped into him, she almost fell back but he put his hands on her shoulders to steady her. "Whoa, sorry." He said.

"It's fine." She said with a grin, she noticed his face. "You okay, Glenny?" She asked him as she flicked his forehead. "You don't look so hot."

"Why should there be anything wrong with me?" He asked.

She stared him in the eye before she shook her head. "Nah."

"Anyways," He said. "Hershel told me to call you, Daryl's giving them a hard time and he wants to move him out of the house."

"Figure's Dixon couldn't sit still for very long." She said. "And when did I turn into his caretaker?"

"I just thought… ah…" Glenn said awkwardly.

"You just thought… what?" She asked.

He coughed awkwardly. She snatched his hat away from him. "Hey!" He said.

"You suck at lying and keeping secrets to your self, so spit it out, Pizza Boy." She said sharply.

He shuffled as he looked around, T-Dog shrugged his way and Danni felt herself getting angry. "We… you know… thought that maybe you two…" He said slowly. "I- I mean… it wasn't just me – we all thought – you know… since you're so close – and that night at the CDC…"

Had something other than what Daryl told her happened that night? "What?"

"You guys… just seemed to be really… close…" He trailed off awkwardly.

She shoved his hat back onto his head. "Whatever," She said. "I have a grumpy Redneck to help, see you later Pizza Boy." She waved over her shoulder as she walked to the house. Before she went in she ducked into Daryl's tent and she pulled out a shirt before continuing her path up towards the house.

Dale walked out of the house and he huffed. "You better go see him." He said to her.

"I wasn't aware I'd been appointed the Dixon Keeper." She said as she put her hands in her back pockets.

He chuckled. "It seems like you're the only one he isn't willing to yell at."

She shrugged as she walked into the house, she could hear Daryl yelling at someone. She walked up stairs and saw Shane walk past her, he cast her a look that made a chill run down her spine, she walked into the room and saw Daryl yelling at no one in particular saying how he'd rather get shot then spend another moment in this sick-house.

"Come on, Dixon." She said as she tossed his blankets off. "You're disturbing the peace." She helped him sit up. She started to help him put his shirt on but he snatched it away.

"I'm hurt, but I ain't no invalid." He said as he shrugged it on. He got up and she helped him limp out of the house into his tent. Once they were in the tent she unwrapped the gauze from around his head. "The hell you doin'?" He snapped.

"Settle down." She said. "I want to see how your temple looks, it wasn't very deep…" She lifted the bandage and saw it looked fine. She nodded. "That looks better." She said with a happy sigh.

"Hey." Andrea said as she stepped into the tent they both looked up and Danni smoothed his hair down.

"I'm going to go see if Maddy woke up." She said. She glanced at Andrea and then she left. When she went back to the tent Maddy was changing, she pulled her shirt down.

"DANNI!" She said.

"What? It's not like I can knock or anything." She said. "Plus, I've changed your diapers." She snorted.

"DANNI!"

"Aren't you a little too young to be all moody like that?" Danni said as she sat on her cot.

Maddy rolled her eyes as she pulled her capris on. Danni chuckled as she rummaged through her pack to pull out a small calendar. Maddy eyed her suspiciously. "What's that?" She asked.

"You'll find out when you're older." She said with a grin as she shoved it into her pack again. She put her hands on her thighs as she braced herself to get up. "So, how about I braid your hair and then you go and check in on Carl?"

Maddy had a small blush on her face as she grinned. "Okay!"

Danni crouched down and stared at the child with a steady stare. Maddy flinched shyly. Danni grinned mischievously. "Someone's got a cruuush…" She said in a singsong voice.

"I do not!" Maddy said.

"Do too!"

Maddy pounced on her and tried to slap her hands over Danni's mouth as she sang out 'Do too! Do too! DO TOO!'

"Grow up!" Maddy said but she was trying to not laugh at Danni. Lori seemed to hear the scuffling because she poked her head in.

"Is everything okay in here, Maddy?" She said.

"What's the point if a grown-up won't act like a grown up?!" Maddy said as she clamped her hands over Danni's mouth, she suddenly let out a cry. "SHE LICKED ME!"

Danni pinned the girl down and began to tickle her as Lori watched with an amused grin. "Grow up, Dan." She said.

Danni got off Maddy and winced as the girl kicked her leg before she ran out to the house. Danni chuckled as Lori pulled her out. "I think we've got a problem Lori." She said.

"And what is that?" Lori asked.

"I think someone's got a little crush on Carl." She said slyly.

"Oh leave her alone, they're kids – it's normal… hell it makes much more sense at their age then it does at ours." Lori said.

Danni found herself involuntarily looking over to Daryl's tent before she glanced over at Lori. "Yeah, you got a point there." She said as she put her hands in her pocket. "So, uh… is everything okay? You look kind of pale… and you've been sleeping in…"

"I'm fine." She said.

"Look, Lori." She said. "I know I'm probably the newest person in the group, and you know Carol more…" She hesitated a bit. "But if you ever need anyone to talk to… I'm the least burdened here… and I'm a good listener." She shrugged. "You know… if you ever need an ear."

Lori studied her a bit before she nodded. "Thanks, Dan." She said gently.

Danni nodded and watched Lori leave. As she grabbed a peach from Glenn Shane walked over to her, she held up her fists. "You're not going to hurt me are you?" She asked.

He chuckled. "Why would I do that, Dan?"

Glenn chuckled awkwardly before leaving. She eyed Shane suspiciously. "How can I help you?"

"You still know how to handle a gun?" He asked. "If I remember correctly you were one hell of a sharp-shooter." He said.

"Yeah, you would remember that." She sniffed as she bit into the peach.

"We're goin' out to help with trainin'." He said. "You're welcome to join us."

She nodded to Daryl's tent. "I'm on Dixon watch." She said. "And today's my laundry day…"

Andrea snorted as she walked past her, muttering something that sounded like 'housewife'. She rolled her eyes and looked at Shane. "Plus, I'm supposed to go out to pick up the search from where Daryl left it off." She shifted. "That's what Rick told me." She saw Carl and Maddy walk out of the house. She smiled gently before she went to go check in on Daryl.

He looked up from a book Andrea had probably given him. "You here with drugs?" He asked.

She chuckled. "No."

He let out a 'humph' before he looked down at the book again. "This book sucks." He said. "No pictures or anythin'."

She rolled her eyes as she crossed her legs. "Why are you reading it?"

"I'm bored." He said before he threw the book aside. She studied him evenly. "So, you goin' tell me what's botherin' you?" He said.

"The hell?" She said.

"I figured since you spilled your guts out to me, you assume you have to tell me everythin'… Winky –"

"I will punch an injured man." She said as she held up her fist.

He grabbed her hand. "Shut up." He said. With her other hand she touched the graze on his temple, he hissed and grabbed that hand. "What is in your stupid head?!" He yelled at her.

"Baby!" She said.

He yanked on her hands and her forehead hit his, she winced. "Ow."

"That's what you get!" He said. She sat back but he didn't let go. "Did Shane say anything to you?"

She froze, how could he possibly know that? She found herself staring into his eyes curiously.

"Because I saw him lookin' at you all funny when you were forcin' me outta the house." He said. "Don't think I didn't notice, now don't you lie to me."

She studied his face silently. "Since when did you become my keeper?" She asked.

"Since you appointed yourself mine." He said. "Now I ain't lettin' go until you tell me. Or do I have to tell Glenn to get you a bottle of whiskey?"

She looked down with a sigh as she sat back as far as he would let her. "I guess… he figured out I listened in… the other day."

"Told ya you'd get in trouble, leavin' me to bounce things off your butt." He snored.

She didn't say anything. "… I'm not sure…" She said quietly. "But I think he threatened me –"

"The hell didn't you tell me this before?!" He all but yelled at her.

"I wouldn't think he'd carry anything out!" She said as she tried to pull her hands away. "You see… Shane and I…" She hesitated. "One year a movie was being shot in their town – that was the year I met them all… Rick, Shane, and Lori – Carl was a baby at the time… And Shane and I –" She didn't know how to say it. It was one of the worst times of her life, and one hell of a mistake. "You see… we sort of…" She shrugged.

"You mentioned it at the CDC." He said dryly.

She let out a sigh. "But it didn't last long; I realized he was the kind of guy to chase after girls… I didn't want anything to do with him." She looked up at Daryl. "But we kept a sort of friendship… I guess you can call it." She shook her head. "I never knew he would do anything… until…" She remembered his arm on her neck, how he crushed her windpipe.

Daryl's grip tightened on her wrists. "The hell happened?"

"Nothing happened – okay?" She said as she tried to pull away. "I don't know why the hell you care anyways!" He let go of her and she massaged her wrists.

"I told ya, I feel responsible –"

"Don't give me that." She snapped at him. "Don't give me the whole 'You were so drunk you went and told me everything so now I feel like I need to stick up for you' because I don't believe it." She sat away from him so he couldn't reach her. "You know what, Lori was right – when you're a kid things are so much simpler."

"What are you goin' on about?" He asked.

"Nothing." She said. "I'm going to go help out in the house – do you need anything?"

"No." He said.

"Good." She left the tent.

Daryl stared after her figuring out just what the hell he had done – women were so confusing!

As Danni trudged back to the house Glenn stopped her. "Umm… Danni?" He said.

"What?" She snapped, she then noticed it was Glenn. She let out a small sigh and she rubbed her temples. "Sorry, what, Glenn?"

"I'm going to go into town… do you need anything?" He asked.

"Do I look like I do?" She said and then she shook her head. "Sorry – I'm just so…" She sighed. "Yeah, I need something – hold on… let me write –"

Glenn shifted uncomfortably. "Dan, I've been in this camp since the beginning and running into town for Lori… Andrea… Amy… You get the picture?" He said.

She put her hands in her pockets and nodded. "I'm sorry."

"I'm… going to go now." He said. He then ran off.

"Coward." She thought before she walked into the house.


	18. The Barn

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

I just would like to pause and thank everyone who has so-far liked this story... here meaning Following this story and/or favoriting it, and I want to thank you to you reviewers, I am a big fan of feedback =]

* * *

The following day she walked into Daryl's tent, he glared at her as she crouched down silently. "Look, I'm sorry about yesterday…" She said delicately. "I wasn't… in the best of moods…" She began to check the wound on his side.

"I get it; you ain't nice when it's that time –"

"Shut up." She said quietly. She gently brushed her fingers over the cut on his temple. "It looks better." She said.

"Still hurts like hell." He said.

She nodded gently and she brushed his hair back before she sat back. "Yeah, I'm not surprised." She said gently. She handed him a shirt. "So, how about you join us for some breakfast… eggs…?"

"Fine." He said.

She helped him up and together they walked out of the tent, he sat down in a lawn chair and Maddy was watching Carol make the eggs, there was an odd sort of silence in the area as Andrea sharpened her knife over and over – she sound was getting on Danni's nerves as she sat at Daryl's feet. "Andrea, do you mind?" She said.

Andrea glared at her and continued to sharpen the knife.

Glenn got up from his seat as he went to face everyone. "Umm... guys?" He started hesitantly as he looked around. They shifted to acknowledge him but did not say anything otherwise. "So..." He started when he thought he had their attention. "The barn's full of Walkers."

They all looked at him. Danni dropped her fork into her plate, the bite abandoned. "How long have you known this?" She said, her voice sounded a bit tight.

Glenn shifted. "Ah… a while…?" He said. "The night… Daryl got hurt…"

"… And you waited now to tell us?" Daryl said.

Danni got up. "What the hell…?"

They all abandoned their food as they trudged over to the barn. Maddy was clutching Danni as Shane stepped closer to the barn, they could hear growls which only got louder when he got close. "You can not tell me you're okay with this." Shane told Rick.

"I'm not… but we're guests here… this isn't our land." Rick replied.

"God, this is our lives man!" Shane yelled.

"Lower your voice!" Lori hissed quietly.

"We can't just sweep this under the rug!" Andrea said.

"Yeah man, this ain't right…" T-Dog said.

"We've been fine this long." Danni said as she put a hand on Maddy's shoulders. "Ignorance was bliss, not that we know we suddenly feel threatened."

"What do you know about it?" Shane hissed to her.

"You stay away." Daryl said as he stepped between them.

"Daryl…" She said quietly.

"We got to go in there... we got to make things right –" Shane said. "We should get going – now we have been talking about Fort Benning for a very long time…"

"We can't go!" Rick said, there was desperation in his voice.

"Why Rick, why?" Shane asked.

"Because my daughter is still out there." Carol said as she suddenly spoke up.

"Okay..." He said as he ran his hands over his face, he looked like he was on the verge of laughing – or crying – Danni didn't really care, she had a grip on Daryl's arm because she could tell that he wanted to pounce on the former cop. "I think it's time we all start to consider the other possibility that..."

Danni looked down at Maddy. "I want you to go to the house, Maddy." She said. "Go sit with Beth and Jimmy – don't tell them what's going on, okay?" She said quietly.

Maddy nodded and ran off.

"Shane!" Rick said loudly as he turned to his friend. "We are not leaving Sophia behind."

"We're close to finding this girl;" Daryl said as he walked away from Danni to hover around her and Carol just a bit. "I just found her doll a few days ago!" He yelled at Shane.

"You found her doll, Daryl – that's what you did: you found a doll." Shane said.

"I don't know what the hell you're talking about!" Daryl yelled; Rick stuck out his arm as he tried to break up the inevitable fight that would no doubt happen.

"I'm just saying what needs to be said!" Shane yelled.

Rick was trying to get his two cents in but Shane would not let him talk, Danni was trying her best to stop whatever Daryl might do – but she was more worried what an angry Shane might do to both Daryl and Rick.

"Let me tell you something else, Man." Shane said over Rick who was trying to get him to settle down. "If she was alive out there and saw you coming all methed out with your buck-knife and geek ears around your neck she would run in the other direction -"

This made Daryl mad, he tried to pounce forward and everyone quickly jumped in between the two, Danni quickly wrapped her arms around Daryl knowing he wouldn't do anything that would accidently hurt her in the process – at least that's what she hoped.

"Shane, back off!" Rick yelled.

Lori pushed him away from her husband. "Keep your hands off me." He spat at her. Danni looked between the two and then she frowned.

"Now just let me talk to Hershel and we'll figure it out." Rick said as they began to calm down.

"Man what are you going to figure out?" Shane yelled angrily.

Lori once again was between them, her hand was on Shane's chest as she pushed him away. "Enough!" Lori yelled.

"If we're going to stay… if we're going to clear this barn, I have to talk him into it." Rick said and then he pointed to the barn. "This is his land!"

"Hershel sees those things in there as people." Dale finally spoke up. "Sick people, his wife… his step-son."

"You knew?" Rick asked.

"Yesterday, I talked to Hershel…"

"And you waited the night?" Shane asked angrily.

"I thought we could survive the night – and we did!"

"We've been surviving this long without knowing." Danni said, they all looked at her as she removed her arms from around Daryl. "Now that you guys know you suddenly have the urge to get all protective and want to act like saints and clean out this barn?" She pointed at the barn behind her. "They belong to Hershel now – this is _his_ responsibility – this is on _his_ neck is anything happens to us." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Now that's what I think about this."

"No one cares what you have to say about this." Shane spat.

"What if _I_ do?" Daryl challenged him.

Shane sneered at them before he went to yell at Rick again, they all froze when they heard the door rattle madly because of their voices. Daryl stuck his hands out as both Carol and Danni stepped back.

Rick put his hands on his hips. "Look, I'll go talk to Hershel… We'll figure this out." He promised.

They all slowly dispersed, Danni saw Carl run over to Maddy and Beth who were sitting out on the porch. Danni found herself walking away from camp to the pond at the edge of the farm. She sat on the water's edge as she stared out at the water. "Don't think we should all be wanderin' alone." Daryl said as he sat beside her.

"I'm fine." She replied.

"Not without this." He handed her the sword.

"Thanks." She said as she placed it on her other side. She stared at the water and the land beyond. "Do you think it's our place to clean house?" She asked him without looking at him.

"It ain't our place." Daryl replied. "If they're crazy enough to want to keep 'em… if they see 'em like they're still livin'… Wouldn't you keep your loved ones if they turned?" He asked.

She frowned. "I don't know… I had to kill mine." She said in a matter-of-fact way. He looked at her; she knew he knew what she was talking about. "What kills me is looking at Maddy knowing that I killed her only living family…"

"It had to be done." He said.

"Yeah." She squinted as she glanced up at the sun. All that action and it wasn't even noon yet. "Thanks…" She said.

"The hell for?" He said.

"Sticking up for me like that…" She said. "When Shane…" She crossed her legs as she leaned back on her hands.

"Yeah well… I don't like him all that much to begin with." He said. "But he's good for the group – keeps us safe – but sure as hell won't stand when he threatens anyone."

She hesitated. "Daryl… do you think him and Lori…"

He snorted. "Figures you'd ask."

"I'm serious." She said as she sat up to stare him in the eye. "He thinks I heard something really serious – what could he possibly… unless those two –" She frowned. "Tell me."

"It ain't your business." He said.

She gave him a look. "Please?"

He put his hand on her face and he pushed her away. "The hell you give me them puppy-dog eyes, they ain't gun' work." He said.

She pulled his hand down and looked at him again. "Please?"

"You know, you look so level-headed all the time – ain't no one ever mention how annoying you get." He said dryly. She grinned. He rolled his eyes as he laid back; his hands went under his head. She reclined and put her weight on her arm so she could look down at him. "You'd kinda gotta be an idiot to not notice them." He said with a snort.

"Oh?" She asked.

"They'd run off." He said. "I'm a hunter – I notice when weird things happen."

"Noted." She said.

He gave her a dry stare. "What? You never know." She smirked. "Glenn's a nice guy."

"Yeah, but runnin' around with that farm girl." He said dryly.

"Maggie?" She looked up. "Huh… I would have never known." She said. "All right…" She looked down at him again. "T-Dog then."

He snorted. "Yeah right." He said.

"Why not?"

"It seems like you got a knack at choosing losers." He smirked.

"So you're saying T-Dog isn't a loser." She said with a gleeful grin. "Wait till I go tell him!" She was about to get up but he yanked her down.

"Don't you dare." He said.

She chuckled as she put herself down beside him; she mimicked his pose as she stared up at the sky. "What do you think we'll find in that barn?" She asked.

"'side from a buttload of Walkers?" He said. He looked over at her. "Don't think it."

"I'm not thinking it." She said. "I know you'll find her." She looked at him and grinned slightly.

He got up. "I'm goin' go look for –"

"You're hurt, you should stay put." She said. He frowned as he held out his hand to her. She refused it at first. "I mean it – I'm trying to watch out or you –"

"Get up."

"Not until you acknowledge the fact that I'm watching out for you." He said.

"And you don't have to wink at me either." He said. "Now get up."

"You're a jerk." She said as she stuck out her hand.

He pulled her up and she flicked his forehead. "Don't go out there." She stepped back. "At least, not yet."

"Whatever." He said.

"You're going to the stables." She said as she bent down to pick her sword up.

"What's it to you?" He said.

She rolled her eyes as she grabbed his hand and they went to the stables. He rolled his eyes. "At least let me go with you so I make sure you don't get injured – okay?" She asked.

He snorted. "Fine."

They walked to the stables and from the shed they grabbed two saddles. They carried them in and Daryl led out a horse. "I don't think you should." Carol said as she ran in.

"I'm fine." Daryl said.

"Hershel said you need to heal – Danni – why won't you stop him?" Carol asked.

"You think he'll listen to me?" Danni said. "The best I can do is watch him and made sure he doesn't get hurt too badly."

"I don't care." Daryl said as he prepared to pull out another horse.

"Well I do." Carol said tearfully. Danni smiled gently her way. "Rick's going out later to follow the trail."

"Yeah, while I sit around and do nothin'." Daryl said darkly.

"No, you're going to go get yourself hurt out there even worse." Carol said. "Danni – please?"

Danni smiled apologetically. "I'm going with him." She said as she moved her sword to her back so she could better sit in the saddle. She fastened the saddle to the horse before Carol spoke up. "We don't know if Sophia's going to come back alive… we don't."

Danni looked up as Daryl turned around he stared at Carol angrily.

"I don't…" She said sadly, the despair in her voice broke Danni's heart as she dropped her hands from the saddle.

Daryl stepped out of the stall as he stared at Carol; Danni saw anger in his eyes. "What?"

Danni moved slightly but Carol shook her head slowly. "I can't lose you too." She said sadly. Daryl set down the reins he was holding as he looked at Carol, it looked like he was trying to process what he had just been told; Danni always knew he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed. He grabbed the saddle and he threw it, Danni's horse reared as she quickly grabbed it so it wouldn't run off. Daryl fell to his knees as he clutched his side.

"Are you alright -?" Carol rushed to his side.

"Just leave me be!" He yelled at her. "Stupid –" He walked out.

Carol looked like she wanted to cry, she looked at Danni who began to unsaddle her horse. "Don't worry…" She said quietly. "I'll talk to him."

Maddy sat with Carol and Lori as they did homework. They looked up as Daryl limped to his tent, a moment later Danni followed him inside and moments later they could hear yelling. Lori looked at Maddy. "Focus on your work sweetie." She said.

Danni glared at Daryl. "You don't yell at her like that!" She yelled at him.

"Get away from me!" He yelled back. "How the hell can she say that about her own little girl?!"

"Sit down and shut up!" She yelled at him. "Let me look at your stitches – you're such an idiot you probably busted them open!"

To her surprise he fell silent. She forced him to take his shirt off so she could check his wound; he had busted one of the stitches, but not both of them. She silently began to work on sewing it up once more. "Were you lost before?" She asked silently.

"Yeah…" He said. "Ain't no one bother to look for me."

She looked up. "Not even Merle?" She asked with a frown.

"He was too busy with a new stint in juvie." He said.

"How did you get home?" She asked.

"Found my way back." He said quietly.

"I got lost once." She said gently. "But… my dad had the whole town out looking for me…" She put gauze on the re-sewn wound. "I almost got eaten by a coyote."

"Must've been nice to know all those people were looking for you." He said.

"It was." She said gently. "I know Sophia will be real happy when she knows that you spent all this time looking for her." She looked up at him. "You don't understand the despair that Carol must be in right now… She's given up hope." She shook her head. "I can never begin to imagine what it must be like to be in her shoes – but then I think of Maddy… Maddy's the reason I'm here… I just want her to live safely and happily and I…" She looked down at her hands. "I understand why she would say that."

"Have you given up hope?" He asked. "On finding Sophia?"

She looked up and gently cupped his cheek. "Have you?"

"No." He said sullenly.

"I haven't." She said. "I believe you're going to find her." She pulled her hand back. "But now, you've got to rest – please." She said. "And make amends with Carol… because no one in this camp cares like she does… You've done more for her than anyone has done for her – or anyone at that… in this camp."

He looked away.

"Daryl?"

"When did you stop callin' me Dixon?" He asked.

She smiled gently. "I need to go talk to Rick about finding Sophia – you stay here – rest up." She forced him to lay back. "Can you do that?"

He snorted.

She gentle leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead. She sat back and then she left him. When she walked outside she bumped into Rick. He looked upset. "Rick?"

"I'm going to talk to Hershel." He said. "Dan…?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you mind keeping a watch on Shane – make sure he doesn't do anything rash?"

Fear shot through her being but she nodded otherwise. "Yeah, I can do that."

He looked at her evenly. "… Danni, did Shane say anything to you?" He said.

Her eyes darted to Daryl's tent and he moved her away, she nodded slowly. "The other day – I was… listening in on a conversation between…" She slowly trailed off. "Rick – do you know –"

"Yes, Lori told me about her and Shane." He said with a nod.

"I guess he thinks I must have heard something because… he – I guess it could be called a threat… ever since then he's been… weird." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Please don't tell Daryl, he feels responsible for me and I know he'll flip if he finds out."

He nodded slowly. "You don't have to do it if you're uncomfortable with it." He said.

"No, I'll do it – I just want permission to carry a small gun to keep on me, just in case –" She saw his hand go to his back. "And not your gun." She said as she put a hand up. "You'll be needing it eventually. I just want Dale to know I have the okay from you, Bossman."

He nodded. "And don't let him know I've got you watching." He said.

"I'll stick to the trees." She said. "Keep out of sight."

He nodded and watched her walk off. She walked to the R.V. and she walked into it, Dale looked like he was dazed. "Dale?" She asked. "Are you okay?"

"Huh? Oh… yeah…" He said.

"Rick allowed me to keep a gun." She said. "A side-arm?"

"Oh." He opened the bag and handed her a black gun, he then gave her ammo; she shoved it in and checked the gun before she walked off. She spotted Shane leaning against a tractor, she climbed up the nearest tree he wouldn't notice her being in it. She kept an eye on the barn and then on Shane. A while later Rick walked out to talk to Shane. She didn't listen in on them, deciding it was best if she didn't. When Rick was gone she resumed watching. Before long she watched him walk off.

When she decided it was good she jumped down from her perch only to find Shane behind her. "You think I didn't see you up in that tree?"

"I was asked to keep watch on the barn." She said simply. She tried to walk past him but he jabbed his finger into her shoulder. She glared up at him.

"By who?" He asked.

"By myself." She said. "Now please move out of the way. She made to move again but he pushed her back.

"I think we need to talk."

She shoved him away from her. "I don't have anything to say to you – so get off my case – whatever the hell you think is going on in that paranoid little mind of yours isn't!" She yelled at him angrily. "So stop with those creepy looks you keep giving me, and those weird as –" She tried to move past him but he shoved her back, she let out a gasp as she fell back.

He was angry, and it wasn't at her – she just happened to be the unfortunate fool to end up in his path.

Maddy looked up as Danni walked over to them as she sat Glenn and Maggie. She sat up seriously when she noticed Danni was sporting a black eye and she was limping.

"The hell happened to you?" Maggie asked.

"I don't want to talk about it." She said as she sat down. "Is Daryl around?" She asked quietly.

"No." Glenn said as he shook his head. "He went off after Carol."

"What the hell, where is everyone?" T-Dog said as he and Andrea approached.

Glenn got up. "Have you seen Rick?" Glenn asked.

"No." Andrea said. "We were supposed to go out and scout but he had to run off with Hershel on an errand. We were supposed to leave a couple of hours ago."

"Yeah you were – what the hell?" Daryl said as he and Carol joined them. They both noticed Danni and Daryl's eyes flashed as she looked away.

"Rick told us he was going out –" Carol said.

"What happened?" Daryl said as he walked right up to Danni.

She looked away. "It's fine, don't worry about it." She said as she tried to keep him from touching her face.

He turned around and saw Shane walking over their way. "What's all this?" He asked.

Daryl looked like he didn't know what he was talking about but saw that Shane was sporting a bruise under his eye too. He looked at Danni and she glared at Shane angrily. "You with me man? It's time to grow up!"

"Shane – stop this!" Danni said as she got up.

"You want to get hit again?" He sneered down at her.

"Bring it on princess." She snarled. "You can't go –"

"Everything was fine when we was picking daisies thinking it was safe here – but now we know it ain't!" He walked over to Glenn. "How about you, Man, you going to protect yours?"

"Shane – stop this –"

They all gasped when Shane turned to punch her, she dodged his fist and was pulled back by T-Dog. "You can't do this!" She yelled as she tried to break away from T-Dog.

Glenn grabbed the gun.

"If you do this, my dad will make you leave tonight." Maggie said as she tried to speak some reason, Danni stopped struggling and was now standing to the side with an angry look on her face.

"We have to stay, Shane." Carl said as he appeared from the porch, behind him Beth and Lori followed.

"What is this?" Lori asked.

"We ain't goin' anywhere okay? Now look... Hershel he's just gotta understand, okay?" Shane said. "Well, he's gonna have to. No we need to find Sophia, am I right?" He took a small gun as he went to Carl. "You take the gun and keep your mother safe, you hear? You keep your mother safe!"

Lori pushed her son away from the crazed man. "Rick said no guns... this is not your decision to make."

They heard groans and they saw Rick and Hershel leading a Walker.

Shane yelled and ran to them; his insanity seemed to be peaking. Daryl looked down at her. "He do that to you?"

"Not that you care." She said as she glanced at the gun with disgust.

He scoffed and then walked off to join the others. She turned to Maddy. "Maddy – go into the house –" They heard a gunshot, followed by more.

Shane was yelling angrily. "Danni –" Maddy was terrified.

"Baby girl, go inside." She said.

Maddy nodded and ran inside. Danni drew the gun Dale gave her as she ran quickly to join them despite her hurting leg.

When she got there the Walkers were out and they began to shoot them down one by one. Danni put up the gun and joined them as she watched them fall, her own gun taking down several. Behind her she could hear Hershel, Maggie, and Patricia holding back their cries.

And then it seemed like everything went quiet. Danni lowered her gun as she walked forward to check the barn. They all let out relieved sighs until they heard a final groan – and Danni let out an anguished yell as she fell back. She tried to get away from the barn as they all watched Sophia exit the barn. Carol ran forward sobbing but Daryl quickly grabbed her.

Danni sat up as she watched, tears choking her as Sophia stumbled with a mindless hunger. She heard Carol sobbing and she tried everything she had in her to not break down there too.

They all watched as Rick walked forward, he held up his gun and they waited. A gun shot put their search at an end.

Danni heard a shriek from the house, she turned and saw Maddy on the porch, and she was clutching the rail tightly as she sobbed.

Danni walked to the house and Maddy flung herself at her, clutching her tightly as she sobbed and shrieked into Danni's shirt. Danni hid her face in Maddy's hair as she cried. "I'm so sorry baby girl." She said quietly.

Maddy sobbed herself to sleep. Gently Danni carried her to their tent and she placed her onto the bed. She walked out of the tent and saw Daryl walking out of the R.V. "Carol…?" She said quietly.

"… Cried herself to sleep." He said quietly. "… Maddy?"

Danni nodded. "The same…" She said. Daryl was about to turn away but she didn't let him. She walked to him and hugged him tightly. For a while she thought he wouldn't do anything until his arms went around her, she found herself crying into his chest and he just stood there silently. She wished Glenn had never told them what was in the barn.


	19. All We've Got

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

* * *

Silence.

There was a chilling silence that overcame them as they worked on pulling the corpses away, Andrea had covered Sophia with a blanket and Danni was sitting with Maddy as the child stared out sightlessly, she clutched her doll tightly to her chest as tears continued to roll down her face. Danni didn't quite know what to say to her. Daryl peeked into the tent and she nodded and kissed Maddy's cheek. "I'll be right back baby." She said gently.

Maddy nodded as she left her, she shut the tent behind her as she stepped to the side with Daryl; she looked up at him. "Carol?"

"She's awake." He said. "Maddy?"

"She's awake." She said as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I believed you could have found her – I –"

"Just –" He began to walk away. But stopped when he heard something he didn't expect to hear – not after that morning – he never took her for the crying type. He turned around and saw tears travelling down her cheeks.

She furiously wiped them away. "They don't have to live through this." She said. "Maddy – and Carl – and Sophia – she didn't have to –" She dropped her hands as she grabbed her sides like she wanted to force herself to stop crying. "It kills me," She said. "Every time something happens – and I can't shield her from it – I'm afraid –" She shook her head. "Carl got shot – and now… Sophia -?" She shook her head.

She was surprised when he stepped over to her and hugged her; she shook her head against his shoulder, she found herself wrapping her arms around his waist. She let out a sigh as she finally pulled away. "We have to go help them." She said.

She wiped her eyes on the backs of her hands. "Go be with your kid." He said. She then watched as he walked away. His steps were heavy and haunted; she feared he would go to a place that no one would like when he got there.

She turned to go back to the tent. Maddy was staring silently on the mattress. She crouched down and gently caressed her cheek softly. "Maddy?" She said quietly.

"I wish Shane never opened the barn…" She said quietly. "I wish we never found Sophia…"

Danni stared at her silently. "Maddy…"

She got up and stared at Danni. "Just stop it!" She yelled at her. Danni was shocked. "You were stupid to think that we'd find her!"

Danni was speechless. "Stupid to hope -?" She asked.

"Yes!" Maddy yelled, suddenly Danni wasn't seeing a 10 year old, but a girl who was so much older… so much more jaded. "You knew we wouldn't find her! You knew!"

Danni was stunned. She stared at Maddy evenly. "I had faith we'd find her." She said calmly.

"Thanks to your boyfriend." She said snidely.

Danni studied Maddy. "I understand you're upset –" She said.

"No you don't!" She yelled at her. "You think you know better than me! You don't! Get out!"

Danni stared at her and nodded. "Fine – if that is what you want, I'll be back when you ride out this tantrum." She said as she got up and left the tent. Lori paused as she looked at her.

"Dan?"

"You can deal with her." She said to Lori before she walked off.

Danni saw that they had dug three graves beside each other. They all stood there as they lowered the bodies, one by one. Danni saw Maddy standing with Lori and Carl as Rick, Jimmy, and Shane buried the bodies. Once it was done everyone went their separate ways.

Danni walked back to camp and she noticed Daryl packing his things up. "What are you doing?" She asked.

"Getting away." He said.

"But –" She walked over to him. "You can't leave –"

"I ain't got no reason to stay." He snapped at her.

She stood there silently. "Do you mean that?"

He glanced at her before he grabbed his things. "Where's the kid?"

"She's mad at me." She said quietly. "Daryl – please don't go – don't leave –" She looked up at him. "We need you here –"

"Ain't no one need me –"

"I need you here." She said firmly.

He didn't say anything as he grabbed his things. "I ain't leavin' the farm." He said as he began to walk off. She had to jog to match his stride.

"What about Carol?" She said.

"Like hell I care about that!" He yelled at her as he stopped his walking.

She stared up at him. "What did she say?"

"You stay out of it." He said. He walked off; she watched his back as he marched on. "Don't you get it? We ain't got a thing anymore." He snapped.

She continued to walk with him. He glanced at her, she grabbed one of his things from him, it was his tent; she slung it over her shoulder as she walked beside him. He grabbed her hand as they continued to walk.

She would have liked to do the same, move away from everyone and not be bothered. But the more she thought of it – the more she thought of Maddy. Her grip tightened on his hand but he didn't say a thing. When he stopped she looked around, she found that she could still see the house – and the barn.

"What did she say to you?" He asked her.

She frowned as she put the tent down. "She going cold, Daryl." She said quietly. "She's become jaded… and she thinks…" She broke off quietly. "We're stupid… were… to even hope for Sophia –" She broke off again. She watched as he dug a pit and lit a fire. She sat down as he set up his chair. "I don't know what to do…" She said quietly. "I've never…"

"She didn't do that with her parents?" He asked.

"… No." She said quietly. "She – didn't know what happened – one moment they were there – the next gone… I had taken care of them while she hid…" She pulled her knees to her chest as she studied her nails, her cuticles were peeling and they were pale under all that grime. "But seeing Sophia – seeing her… get shot – and almost losing Carl? I just don't know if she can take it anymore –" Her face was sad. "All I want for her is to be safe and happy."

He remained silent as he sat beside her. They said nothing as the day died down. Danni reflected on how just that morning everything had changed… She frowned.

Lori joined walked up to them. "Moving to the suburbs?" She teased. "Didn't think you'd be able to do it, Dan."

Danni managed a grin.

Lori's face became serious as she crouched down on Daryl's other side. "Listen Beth's in some sort of catatonic shock." She said. "We need Hershel."

"Yeah, so what?" He said sullenly.

"So I need you to run into town real quick and bring him and Rick back." She said to him as she looked up at him, when she noticed he wasn't responding she frowned. "Daryl?"

He looked at her and then down again as he whittled away at a stick, he was making more arrows. "You want him, fetch him yourself." He snapped. "I got better things to do."

"What's the matter with you?" Lori said. "Why would you be so selfish?"

"Selfish?" He asked as he got up. "Listen to me, Olive Oyl, I was out there looking for that little girl every single day - I took a bullet and an arrow in the process, don't you tell me about getting my hands dirty!" He yelled at her. "You want those two idiots? Have a nice ride. I'm done looking for people."

Danni frowned as Lori walked away. Danni got up and she dusted herself off before she looked after Lori, she began to trek away.

"Where the hell are you going?" He asked her.

"Thos people –" She said as she pointed at Lori who was walking back to the farm-house. "Are all the family we have left." She frowned. "I'm already taking care of one pouting child throwing a tantrum – I do not need to deal with two."

He glared up at her. "What did you say?" He got up and he pointed at her.

"I know what you've been through –" She said as she grabbed his hand. "You've done so much more than anyone has looking for Sophia –" She grabbed at his side. "You almost died in the process –" She frowned. "But do not do this out on someone – and risk the life of that child."

He stared down at her. "What – you goin' go into town yourself?"

She let out a yell as she walked away from him. "You are so frustrating." She growled as she looked at him. "You're selfish – and absurd!"

"Then why the hell are you still here?!" He yelled back at her.

"I don't even know." She said as she turned away from him. "All I know…" She shrugged. "Is that out of everyone in our group – you –" She turned to him. "You just…" She shrugged. "I don't know." She put her hands in her pockets. "I'm going to go check in on Beth, you can sit here – and decide if you really do want to push people away –" She walked backwards. "Or chose to stick with us. We are the last things we all have."

He looked at her. "Why the hell do you bother?" He said.

"Why do you?" She asked before she turned around and she walked back to the house.

Danni walked to the house and she noticed Maddy was sitting on the front porch. Danni stepped on the top steps and then she looked at her goddaughter. "So, you got something to say?" She asked her.

Maddy got up and ran to hug her tightly; her face was pressed into Danni's stomach tightly as she sobbed. "I'm sorry." She wailed.

Danni crouched down to hug her better. "I understand baby girl." She said gently as she gently cupped her face and she wiped away her tears. "No child needs to be put through all of this stress." She kissed Maddy's forehead gently. "You know I love you." She whispered gently.

She nodded and clung tightly to Danni who was able to pick her up as she walked into the house. Carl walked out of a room and she hugged him as well. Andrea appeared. "Do you mind keeping an eye on him?" She asked her.

"Where's Lori?" Danni asked.

Andrea gave her a look before walking off.

As night fell Patricia handed Danni a tray. "How about you get this to your friend?" She asked her gently.

"Thanks." She said gently before she grabbed a flashlight and then she grabbed the tent. Andrea passed with Shane. "Do you guys mind keeping an eye on Maddy?" She asked. "I'm going to take this out to Dixon." She said.

"Sure." Andrea said.

"Thanks." Danni said before she walked out of the house from the kitchen door. She spotted the fire in the distance as she balanced the tray on one hand, and she grabbed the light in the other. She trudged on as she walked over to Daryl. "No squirrels?" She asked.

"Shut up." He said.

She handed him the tray. "I don't know why Patricia made sure you're fed." She said as she sat beside him.

He snorted and put it aside. "Maddy?" He said.

She nodded gently as she huddled closer to the fire, it was chilly out, she absently rubbed at her bare arms, and she should have worn a shirt over her t-shirt. He reached over and tossed her one of his long sleeved shirts, "Your arms look like a plucked turkey." He said dryly.

"Charming." She said as she shrugged it on, the sleeves hung past her fingers as she buttoned the shirt up just a bit.

"Did you eat?" He asked.

"Nah." She said.

"Here –" He handed her the salad.

"You need your greens." She said.

"Just shut up and eat it."

"You treat me like I'm a rabbit." She said dryly.

"Just shut up."

She grabbed the bowl from him as they ate in silence. She stared at the fire silently as she leaned against his leg. Carol walked over to them. "We can't find Lori, and the others aren't back either."

"She must have gone off looking for them." Daryl said.

"What?" Carol said.

"She asked me to go." Daryl said. "Told her I was done being an errand boy."

"And you didn't say anything?" Carol said.

Danni got up. "Maybe I should take to the roads?" She said.

Carol nodded. "I'll tell someone to go with you."

She nodded and ran to the stables, there she quickly saddled a grey mare before she jumped on and raced back to the group as Shane got into the green SUV that belonged to Maggie before he drove off.

Dale handed Danni a shot-gun before she took off after him.

She gripped the reins tightly as she sped down the road, the horse was breathing heavily and was beginning to foam at the mouth. She brought her to a stop when she saw the car stop. Shane got out and she saw an upturned car.

"Is that -?" She asked.

"Yeah, she ain't in the car –"

"I'll check the woods." She said as she pointed off the road. "But I won't go very far – she's probably injured – she couldn't have gotten far."

He paused and nodded before tossing her a flashlight. "Fifteen minutes." He said. "I ain't gun honk if I find her, I'm goin' straight back to the farm, in fifteen minutes you get back to the farm regardless if you find her or not."

She nodded and for once he was the Shane she remembered – not the scary Shane that threatened her with his scary glances.

She took off into the woods beyond the car. She could hear noises – gunshots. She paused as she flashed the light around. "Hello?" She called out slowly.

She heard movement in the woods. She gripped the reins tightly as she flashed the light around.

She heard laughter. The laughter of madmen. "Hello?" She demanded.

"Look at what we have here." A voice said.

A group of people appeared. They were all men, all carrying weapons – automatics… semi-automatics… One of them shot at the horse; it let out a shriek as it bucked her off. She let out a cry as they shot at the horse again and it fell on her.

What had she gotten herself in to?


	20. Physical Pain

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

* * *

Maddy looked around, Morning had come and Lori was back, Rick, Glenn, and Hershel had just got back. Rick looked around after he hugged his wife tightly; they were all there – Maddy noticed. Everyone but Danni.

Rick seemed to notice this, as did Dale. "Where is Danielle?" The older man asked.

"What?" Daryl said.

"She went out… to look for you." Carol said slowly.

"She didn't get back?" Shane said.

"What are you all talking about?" Hershel said.

They looked at Carol who spoke up. "Danni's missing?"

Daryl let out a stream of curses as he stomped around. "What do you mean 'She didn't get back?'!" Daryl yelled at Shane.

"Who the hell is that?" T-Dog said as he pointed into the truck as he interrupted Daryl's angry tirade.

In the woods tied to a tree Danni groaned in pain. They had tied her hands around a tree; her arms were behind her so even the slightest movement threatened to dislocate her arms. She had been gagged and she glared around the camp, her whole body hurt, her back from being tossed off the horse, and her front from having the horse fall on top of her, her arms were bruised from the way they handled her and she was sure she had a black eye. They were a bunch of grungy looking men who looked like thugs or street riff-raff. Whatever they were they were crude and had no decorum.

"You think she's one of the people that shot Tony and Dave?" One asked.

"Naw." Another said. "She ain't comin' the same way they did –" He said. "She don' smell like alcohol either."

Someone had sniffed her? Who were these people? They all looked young and deep down their grime they were not ugly – but something about them made her want to cry.

She saw her weapons just out of her reach. One of them walked over to her and pulled down the cloth. "So, know anything about that group?" He asked.

She simply spat in his eye. He chuckled and grabbed her chin forcefully. "Girly, you do not know who you are messing with."

She sneered at him. "You don't know who you're messing with!" She thrust her head forward and managed to slam it into his.

He slapped her across the face after he grabbed his forehead. She glared at him as he cursed at her and then walked away. She tried to tug at her bonds as she tried to free her hands, she could feel the skin on her wrists chafing from the rope, and they burned then the fibers touched the wounds. The day seemed to wear on and every so often they would hit her for information. She refused to say anything.

An exceptionally large man walked over to her, he was twice her size as he crouched down. "So, you plan on telling us where your group is?"

This man reminded her of Merle and it made her angry. "Get away from me." She said.

He laughed. "You're funny." He said. "But no." He grabbed her jaw and she winced. "We've done far worse things to girls half as pretty as you. Our standards ain't that high – so you best start talkin' if you want to live." Fear gripped her heart, especially if what this guy had just implied, she had a feeling they were not above doing terrible things to her. Despite the terror she felt she stared back as defiantly as she could as she pressed herself as close to the tree as possible.

"Look," She said. "I don't have a group – I'm traveling alone –"

"In the woods – on a poorly tacked horse – with no provisions?" He said. "I don't think so – and that shirt – it don't belong to you." She realized she was still wearing Daryl's shirt.

"It belonged to my boyfriend." She lied while staring him directly in the eye. "He was taken by the Geeks; I had made camp on the road and found the horse just wandering by." She thanked years of being around professional actors and actresses for her ability to lie they way she did.

"You're lying." He said.

"Why would I lie?" She snapped.

He slapped her smartly across the face. "Don't you back-talk to me!" He yelled at her.

She glared up at him.

The day wore on and this pattern continued, by around midday they had all fallen asleep, something about looking for one of their men they had left behind in the town, they would need their energy, they left a man to keep watch. He was a short one, but he was built, with small beady eyes and a bald head that was crisscrossed with scars. They had gagged her again so she couldn't yell but she stared right back at him.

Her fingers grappled with the rope as she continued to work on them. Her mother always used to make fun of how small and dainty her hands were and she hoped it would help her get out of the ropes. The man watched her suspiciously but she just glared at him as she crossed her legs so she could sit a bit higher up.

From what she had heard them mumble they weren't even the whole group, she was looking at a group of six men, from what she got there had to be at least eleven more. She squirmed about.

"Stop that." The man barked.

She glared at him and settled down. Her fingers still grabbing at the rope, they felt raw as she did so. She paused as she pulled at her hands without moving her torso too much. 'No one knows I'm out here.' She thought in anguish. 'No one but Shane – and he wouldn't care to find me.' She gripped her hands tightly as she tried to keep her cool as she tried to break free.

"I said stop that!" He yelled as he stepped on her knee. She let out a cry against her gag as she heard something pop in it. He had dislocated her knee. Tears streamed down her face as she tried to fight them back. Her weapons were so tauntingly close. If these people found the farm – if they were what she thought they were… terror only seized her once more when she thought of all the women – especially the younger ones like Maggie and Beth. She had to get free and somehow get rid of these guys.

Back in the farm after they had carried the boy, Randall, into the Shed Hershel went to perform surgery on him. Maddy had been silent when she didn't find Danni and Carol sat beside her the whole time. It had been decided that after they fix Randall's leg, in a week he would be well enough to be sent on his merry way.

Daryl, on the other hand, was now walking about. Shane had pointed out the area he had last seen Danni on a map and he said he would go into the woods himself to look for her.

"No." Rick said. "We'll go with you –"

"You shouldn't." Lori said. "You just got back and you're exhausted."

"To hell will all of you – I'm goin' by my self." Daryl said angrily before he grabbed his crossbow and he walked over to Danni's truck to head to the area Shane had told him to.

"Wait!" Maddy yelled as he made to get in, she ran over to him. "Wait!"

"I ain't takin' you with me little girl." He snapped.

"No." Maddy had tears in her eyes. He hesitated and got out to crouch to her level. He froze a bit in shock when she threw her arms around his neck in a tight embrace. He awkwardly brought his arms around the child and realized just how tiny she was; when he had first met them she had been plump. "Please bring her back." She said with wide eyes as she looked up at him.

He nodded and stood up as Maddy stepped back, he got into the truck and Lori gently pulled her back as they watched him speed off to get to Danni.

The man was still staring at her, but she didn't care anymore her hands were finally free. She had grabbed the rope from falling to the ground. Her left leg was useless so she had to prepare herself to rely on her right.

She stared at the man and she could tell there was suspicion in his eyes. He got up and she simply shifted in her spot, she pulled her right knee to her chest as she glared at him.

Once he was close enough she quickly pushed herself up and she attacked him, using the rope to wrap it around his neck tightly.

He let out a loud strangled yell that alerted the other men who instantly dove for her. She tried to fight out of the mess as she punched and scratched, a man was about to stab her in the face until an arrow flew out and went between his eyes. Her eyes widened as he fell to the ground dead. She knew that arrow.

She kicked off a man and turned only to see Daryl reloading the crossbow. "RUN!" He yelled at her.

She tried to but was grabbed from behind as she scrabbled to get to her knife. "NO!" She shrieked as they grabbed at her and tried to drag her into a truck. Her elbow flew into the nose of one of the men and with a crunch he let out a howl, she then swung her first to punch another and he let go, she scrabbled for her knife and let out a pained cry when one of the men dragged her from her dislocated knee. She twisted about and threw her knife into his gut, she grabbed it and then she thrust it into his throat as he fell forward on her, his blood dripped on her as she pushed him away. Daryl shot down two more and was now punching a third.

Once silence fell in the area he ran over to her and she looked up at him. "Can you walk?" He said.

"No." She said and she let out a surprised gasp when he picked her up.

"What about the bodies?" She said as she wrapped an arm around his shoulder.

"Leave 'em." He said grimly.

"But if Walkers got to them –"

"They'd get indigestion." He said. He kicked up her things as he trudged out of the woods. She saw her truck was parked on the side of the road. He put her in the passenger seat before he got in to the driver's seat. She stared at him as he drove, his face set in a grim frown.

"Daryl –"

"Why'd you go off like that?!" He yelled at her.

She looked down at her knee; her jeans were torn and bloody now. "I thought –"

"You thought wrong –"

"Someone had to do something!" She yelled back. "You wouldn't help them – even when Carol – I felt…" She broke off and tears threatened to fall. "I didn't like that dark place you went in to – it made you worse than ever."

He was silent the whole time, when he stopped the car he carried her out to the water pump beside the shed. "Let me see your knee." He said.

It had swollen to barely fit the pant leg; he sighed and grabbed his knife as he tore the leg off easily. She watched as he gingerly touched her knee, she hissed in pain.

"I'm going to set it." He said.

"You know how to?" She asked.

He gave her a look that told her he obviously knew how to. She frowned and he grabbed her knee. "I'll set it back –" He said. "But Hershel will probably have to look at it."

She nodded slowly. "Okay."

"Brace yourself –"

"Wait." She said. "Can't we just let –" The pain almost blinded her as he set her knee right. "You monster." She groaned out.

"You need to learn how to shut up." He said.

Her eyes were shut tightly as she tried to look past the pain. She heard something tearing and a gentle splash before something wet touched her face.

She opened her eyes and stared at Daryl who was studying her face. "She's going to freak out if she sees all this blood." He said. She didn't have to ask who 'she' was. The sun was beginning to set as she grabbed the wet fabric from him. "Shut up." He said as he took it back from her.

"Thank you." She said quietly as she looked down at her lap. She winced when he touched a cut on her forehead.

"What happened?" He asked.

"I was ambushed." She said. "They just… appeared – and they shot my horse –"

"You took a horse?"

"The grey one." She said.

He scoffed. "That's the same horse that tossed me off – nervous Nelly… so she found her way home."

"Most horses do." She replied.

He snorted. "Yeah, no kiddin'." He said.

"Daryl," She started. "Thank you for finding me. I had thought –" Her throat tightened. "Those men could have –" She closed her eyes and looked away. She paused. "They were talking about these two guys – Tony and David…" She said. "They accused me of being a part of the group who shot them – and then they said Randall – but…"

He stiffened up. "Did you say Randall?" He asked in a hiss.

"Yes."

"Was that his whole group?" He asked.

She looked up at him. "No." She said.

"We need to get you into the house." He said as he picked her up again. "Have that knee looked at."

She studied him as he stared ahead and walked towards the house. Maddy and Carl were on the porch. "DANNI!" They cried out happily. She reluctantly looked away as she smiled down at them. "Hey kids – sorry I vanished like that."

"Are you okay?" Carl asked her as looked at Daryl.

"My knee was dislocated." She replied as everyone else ran out. "I'm a bit beat up – but I'm otherwise fine."

Shane walked out. "What the hell happened?"

"She was ambushed." Daryl said. "By a part of Randall's group."

"What?" Rick said.

"They said something about a Tony and David…" She said as she shifted in Daryl's arms. She could see a flash of guilt cross Rick's face, but it was gone in a moment.

"Do you guys have… this Randall guy?" She asked slowly.

Before anyone could say anything Daryl took her into the house. She fell silent as he took her into the dining room where Hershel and Dale were conversing. Dale looked up. "Danni!"

Hershel looked at her. "What happened?"

"I had to set her dislocated knee." Daryl said.

Hershel looked perplexed. "I need to make sure there is no serious damage… I will probably have to operate – depending on how it happened." He looked at Danni.

"… It was stepped on." She said.

Hershel let out a sigh. "Patricia?" He called out.

"Okay." She said as she rushed off.

"Wait – now?" Danni said. "I-I'm not ready!" She said.

"Better now before it is too late." He said.

"But I'm not ready!" She exclaimed.

Hershel wasn't listening; he was rolling up his sleeves as Patricia told Daryl to follow her. First Danni was told to bathe before she was told to don her shorts and a t-shirt. Lori was helping her limp along. Danni was as afraid as when she was in the woods. "I don't want to do this." She said.

"You'll be fine." Lori assured her. "Hershel saved Carl didn't he?"

"Yeah." She said. "But – my knee –"

"You'll be running around soon enough." She promised gently.

Danni let out a grumble. Today was one of the most physically painful days she had ever had since the start of this whole mess.


	21. Healing

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

* * *

She lazily thumbed through the book, her knee was heavily bandaged and she would probably be bed-ridden for the rest of the week, Maddy was curled up on the bed beside her and she was fast asleep. Carol walked in with a gentle smile. "Hey." She said gently.

"Hey." Danni said with a grin. "How are you feeling?"

"Me?" Carol said. "I should be asking you that question."

Danni chuckled as she ran a hand through Maddy's hair. "Surprisingly well after seeing my own knee massacred."

Because Hershel didn't have anesthetics he had to tightly tie a tourniquet on her thigh to numb her leg before he could operate. She had been given some of the strong pain killers that had been used on T-Dog when he was hurt. She managed a small smile. "How's Beth?"

Carol shook her head. "Unchanged." She replied gently.

"And you?" She asked.

"I'm getting by." She said.

Danni smiled gently. They heard a gentle cough from the doorway and saw Daryl standing there. Carol smiled at her knowingly before she left. He moved to sit on a chair, "He appears." She said with a grin.

He rolled his eyes. He then looked at her knee.

"I'm fine." She said. He was silent.

She reached out and gently grabbed his hand. He grasped her hand tightly in his as she studied him silently. It had been exactly two nights since she left to find Lori, the operation had been conducted the previous day and she had been laid up in bed ever since. "What's wrong?" She asked quietly.

"It was just like Sophia." He said. "With Shane goin' all 'didn't she get back yet?'" He shook his head.

She smiled gently. "You are one hell of a man, Daryl Dixon." She said as he looked up at her. "You pull of this… I don't care attitude –"

"The hell you say?" He said.

"It doesn't work with me." She said.

He stared at her face. "I promised you –" He said. "That I ain't ever goin' let anythin' happen to you or that little girl."

She gently smiled. "Would it be too demeaning if I gave you a hug?" She asked.

"What?" He snapped.

She rolled her eyes as she tried to scoot closer to him to wrap her arms around his shoulders. He shifted as he wrapped his arms around her and he sat beside her on the bed. She smiled gently.

Luckily she hadn't been told to stay in bed for as long as she thought she would have to, a day later she could hobble around on crutches. "Good morning." She greeted cheerfully as she hobbled into the kitchen. Maggie and Lori were standing there and they couldn't help but laugh at her. Her hair stuck out in every direction and she looked like she had just woken up.

"Need help getting ready for the day?" Lori asked with a chuckle.

She looked at them bashfully. "Please?"

Maggie chuckled. "Come on, Grandma." She said.

"Young ones, when I was your ages I showed respect to the injured!" She said.

Despite her cheer they saw there was a haunted look in her eyes, the kind of look someone who had been abducted usually had. Once Maggie helped her get ready for the day Lori saw Rick walk into the kitchen. "How's Dan?" He asked.

"Fit as a fiddle." Danni said as she hobbled in, her hair had been pulled into a pony-tail; she wore a skirt because of her bandages. Rick smirked.

"Don't give me that look; I will beat up a cop." She threatened.

He chuckled and then his face became serious. "We need to talk."

She nodded and followed him as Shane and Daryl appeared. Daryl smirked as he fell into step with her. She slapped his hand away when it wandered to her exposed knee. Rick glanced back at them questioningly and they both shrugged. She glared at Daryl who walked past her with a smirk.

They moved to sit in the living room, Daryl sat beside her as Shane, Rick, Dale, and Hershel gathered around. Rick looked at her. "I know it has been a difficult ordeal –" He said.

She grinned. "Rick, I know this whole – I'm going to treat you well because I know you're damaged – I have done cop movies before."

"Right." He said, reminded of her stunt performer past. "What can you tell us – Daryl, since you helped her escape the group – you can help describe the men."

"Not that it matters." Daryl said. "They're all dead."

"They said they were travelling in a group." Danni said. "The men that I was captured by had to be at least six."

"That's about the same number we saw in the town." Rick nodded to Hershel.

"Was a bigger group – some Walkers took down a couple, and the ones we shot…" Hershel said.

"What about the others?" Rick asked.

"They didn't say much about them." Danni said. "At first I assumed there had to be at least eleven more – but the more I stayed the bigger that number got… I never heard names… it seemed like… they were a group of thugs – criminals maybe and they…" She frowned.

"Dan?" Rick said.

"One of the men – he tried to know where the group was – when I told him I didn't know he said they'd done worse things to girls who weren't as pretty as me." She said a bit meekly.

Rick stared at her evenly and then nodded. "Rest up." He said.

"You are very lucky that your knee needed a simple procedure." Hershel said. "You will mend up soon – and you will be fine."

"Thank you." She told him.

She got up and grabbed her crutches as she hobbled out onto the porch, Daryl followed her.

"Shut up." She said as she sat on the swing.

"A skirt?"

"I said shut up." She said.

He lifted the skirt a bit but she slapped him away. "Stop that." She said. "And plus, I'm wearing shorts."

He gave her a look.

"Maggie said my bandage would be a nuisance – so she put me in one of her skirts." She shrugged. "So stop smirking and touching me."

She had discovered that the Randall she had heard a lot about was in the shed after Hershel tended to him for impaling his leg. Her hand found Daryl's as they sat in silence. She watched Maddy and Carl sat reading out of a book. She turned her gaze to the tree where the three graves rested under it.

Daryl was still staying away from the group, but he now had the habit of appearing in Danni's tent at the most random times, since Maddy had taken to sleeping beside Danni now he would sleep on the other mattress, not that Danni minded. On the nights she couldn't sleep she would listen to his breathing as it filled the silence. Even in his sleep it seemed like he was watchful.

It pained her every time she realized that when she thought of Daryl it wasn't like before when he was a brash stranger who didn't like her. She hated to admit it to herself that she may have come to like him – even love him. But what was worse was the fact that she knew he could never express that sort of affection. He was a scarred man, an injured man – someone who had gone through life with a brother who hardly cared for him – a brother who should have taken care of him rather than let his younger brother take care of him.

"You're thinkin'." He said one night.

"Yes, the thought process doesn't stop." She said as she looked at him, her arm was around Maddy.

He gave her a look. In the past couple of days he had… changed with her. It seemed like that nonchalant mask he tried to keep up never worked around her. In some ways she was thankful because out of everyone she knew she needed Daryl the most.

"Don't get smart with me." He said as he propped himself on his elbow so he could look across the tent at her, the area was dark, a sliver of moonlight hit her face from the tent flap. She looked at him with a small frown.

"I'm just thinking." She said quietly. "About… you know… everything."

He snorted and fell back to the mattress.

"Why aren't you asleep?" She asked.

"Because you're thinking so loud." He said dryly.

"I don't…" She looked at him oddly, it was her turn to prop herself up.

"You get real quiet." He said as he put his hands under his head. "And it gets really loud."

She paused as she wrinkled her nose in amusement. "Daryl, that was poetic." She said.

He scoffed and looked at her. She smiled gently. He got up and walked over to her. "Move over." He said.

She pulled Maddy to her as he settled down; he put an arm under his head while the other rested on his stomach. She stared at his profile as he stared at the tent ceiling. Sometimes it amazed her how it seemed like he just sort of… happened into the place he was now at. In all her life, and the people she had known, she had yet to find someone that would ever mean to her as much as Barney ever did. While Daryl did not even fill the large shoes Barney left, it was nice to know there was someone she could look to in a moment of doubt. He was an honest person, and he was blunt – and he was not aware of how great a person he was, always dimmed by his brother.

He looked at her. "You're doing it again." He said.

"I was just thinking." She said silently. "Of how great a man you are… you just don't realize it."

He snorted. "Yeah right."

Danni sat in the kitchen as she watched Maggie and Lori make Beth lunch. It had been exactly a week since she had gone into the woods after Lori and Maggie looked a bit upset. "Did Rick say anything about Glenn when they got back from town?"

"Just that it had gotten pretty bad." Lori said as she prepared some chicken.

"He's not the same… says he froze… blames me, says I got inside his head." Maggie said.

Danni had been munching on a carrot and she paused. "Got inside his head? What the hell did you tell him Maggie?" She said.

Lori cast her an amused glance before she looked at Maggie. "He got back, that's what matters." She shook her head. "Men have to do certain things, you know that, and they are always going to want to blame the little woman who either made him or didn't make him do it." She moved to grab a tray to put the food on it, she then moved to get a fork and knife. "Tell you what, whatever happened out there – happened out there and we… we're just trying to keep it together until they make it back."

"Things were good – and maybe I'm –" Maggie started as Lori took a slice of cucumber.

"He's a big boy." She said. "He makes his own choices." She paused. "And do you have anything to apologize for?"

Maggie shook her head hesitantly.

Lori shrugged. "Tell him to man up and pull himself together –" She paused and chuckled. "Just don't say man up – it never goes well."

Danni chuckled. Lori pointed at Danni who shrugged. "Don't look at me, I don't have boy trouble." She said.

"Exactly because you went from just being around Daryl to having him sleep in your tent." Lori said.

Danni flushed. "We just like each other's company." She said. "And Maddy is comforted by his presence."

Lori smirked as she took the tray from Maggie. "I'm sure." She said. "I'll take this up to Beth, you go on ahead." She told Maggie.

They watched her walk off and Maggie leaned on the counter beside Danni as they watched her leave. Hershel walked in to the kitchen. "Danielle, I would like to check your knee." He said.

"Sure." She said as Maggie helped her hop off. She grabbed her crutches and hobbled off after the doctor.

She followed him into his office and he waited patiently as she sat down on the table. He began to unwrap the bandages from off her knee; Danni had taken to wearing shorts for her leg injury, the hem of the shorts ended just over the bandage so it was easier for Hershel to look at. He put the bandages aside and gently prodded her knee. "Does that hurt?" He asked.

"No." She said.

He then pinched the bottom of her foot after removing her boot. "Can you feel that?"

"Yes, I can." She said.

"Good." He said. "Luckily the dislocation was fixed as soon as it was, and it wasn't as bad, I assume you were not sitting in a position that would have allowed them to do too much damage." He said.

"I was sitting Indian style." She said simply.

He nodded. "Well, you are fine now – try not to over-exert the knee but you don't need the crutches anymore –" He handed her some bandages. "Use this to support your knee for now." He said as he wrapped it around her knee before securing it with clips. "For a couple of days – or whenever you feel like you need it."

"Got it." She said as she got down. "Thank you." She smiled before she walked off.

She walked around, happy with her mobility as she walked to the porch, Maddy was sitting with Glenn on the porch swing; she looked up happily when Danni walked out to join them. "You're okay!" She said.

"My leg's better." She grinned.

Maggie walked out and she looked at Glenn. "You mind takin' a walk with me?" She asked.

Maddy smirked at Glenn. "Ha-ha, you're in trouble." She said in a singsong voice.

He pushed her away before he got up and left them to go with Maggie. "Where's Carl?" Danni asked Maddy.

"Dale's with him." Maddy said simply. She then smirked again. Danni realized that Maddy was turning into a sassy little girl.

"You're walkin' without them crutches?" A voice asked.

She turned around to see Daryl as she stuck out her leg. "Yes indeed I am not." She beamed. She noticed he was carrying his crossbow. "Where are you going?"

"I'm goin' keep watch on the gates." He explained. "With Shane and Rick gone to get rid of that son –"

She glared at him and gestured to Maddy and he fell silent. "Be careful out there." She said.

"Yeah." He said as he left.

Danni sat beside Maddy and the younger girl stared up at her godmother. "What?" Danni said.

"You like him!" She said.

"I thought that was obvious." Danni said dryly.

Maddy put her arms in Danni's lap. "He sleeps with us now?" She asked.

Danni ran a hand through Maddy's hair. "Do you mind?" She asked gently.

She shook her head. "It reminds me of when I was younger and I used to sneak into mom and dad's room because I had a scary dream."

Danni was silent.

"It's nice because it feels like everything is a big scary dream." She said quietly.

Danni stared out at their camp. A short while later Lori ran out. "Danni, where's Maggie or Hershel?"

"Maggie went off with Glenn; ask Andrea, she put herself on watch, she might know where she went." Danni said. "Is everything okay?"

"Beth – she –" Lori ran off.

It did not take very long for Maggie to come sprinting with Andrea and Lori. Maggie ran upstairs and Danni followed Andrea and Lori into the kitchen. "What happened?" Danni asked.

"Beth tried to commit suicide." Lori said quietly.

"What?" She said in shock. Moment later they could hear yelling. They sat in silence as they listened, Lori and Danni pushed themselves to sit on the counters.

"Where's Hershel?" Andrea asked.

"They don't want him to find out just yet." Lori said. "It's a family affair – let them work it out."

"And that's working it out?" Andrea said.

Danni shrugged. "Sometimes the only way to be heard is when you yell – but not always." She said.

Lori got off the counter and went to help herself to some more vegetables. Danni was a bit surprised; she had never taken Lori for an eater.

"This could have been handled better." Andrea said silently.

"How so?" Lori asked her.

"You shouldn't have taken the knife away." Andrea said.

Danni dropped the cup she had grabbed and it shattered on the counter and floor. "Are you serious?" Danni asked acidly.

Lori looked over, shock written on her face. "Really?"

"You were wrong," Andrea said. "Like Dale taking my gun – this isn't your decision –"

"This isn't about you." Danni snapped at her. "This is about the life of that poor child you just suggested it be fine if she took it herself." She got off the counter as she began to clean the mess she made. "Do you realize how selfish that sounds? This isn't up to you either – how would you feel if it had been Amy?"

Danni knew that was a low blow, but Andrea was being impossible. "She had to choose to live on her own, to find her own reasons."

"What do you want to tie a noose for her?" Lori said as she put things in the fridge.

"If she's serious she'll figure out a way –"

Danni hissed as some glass cut her finger. She sucked on her finger-tip as she continued to collect the broken glass, the more she heard Andrea, the angrier she got.

"Doesn't mean I can't stop her or let her know that I care." Lori said.

Andrea frowned. "That has nothing to do with it Lori, she only has so many choices in front of her –"

Danni decided she didn't want to listen anymore. "Would you mind shutting up?" Danni hissed as she got up. "You think she would have done the right thing – she is sixteen –" She pointed at the stairs. "She's not going to know what's best for her, she is terrified, and she just came out of shock –" She threw away the glass. "And you're being irresponsible." She frowned. "Suicide is NEVER an option."

"So you'll understand why I won't let you in there." Lori said.

"I pulled through it!" Andrea said angrily.

Lori and Danni scoffed as they moved about the kitchen. "And you became such a productive part of the group." Lori retorted. "Let Maggie handle this her own way."

"I contribute – I help keep this camp safe!" Andrea said.

Danni snorted. "I'd prefer the person who does that wouldn't advocate blowing out ones own brains at the smallest sign of stress or depression." She said as she stared Andrea in the eye. "The guys have this – us sane people have this – we don't need your help."

"I'm sorry?" Andrea said. "What would you have me do?"

"Oh, there's plenty of work to go around." Lori said.

"Are you serious? Everything is going bad and you're in my face over skipping laundry?" Andrea asked angrily.

"Puts a burden on the rest of us," Lori said as Danni sat on the counter again. "On me, Carol, Patricia, Danni, and Maggie cooking and cleaning and caring for Beth, and you –" Lori hesitated as she looked for the right words to say. "You don't care about anyone but yourself - you sit up on that R.V. working on your tan with a shotgun on your lap."

"No, I am on watch against Walkers!" Andrea said. "That is what matters, not fresh mint leave in the lemonade."

"You're terrible at following rules, and listening when someone tells you to stand down, the whole point is you put into consideration what your actions might be doing to the group – you almost killed Daryl because your selfish need to prove yourself to the men." Danni said. "I don't know if you noticed, but the times we're living in – we're not allowed to be selfish – we have to think about everyone around us – what they need – we have to follow rules because, for once, following rules means we survive – so it would be best for everyone if you pulled your head out of your own a-"

"We are providing stability." Lori said as she cut Danni off from her tirade. "We are trying to create a life worth living..."

"Are you kidding me?" Andrea yelled.

"Look, I went after Rick, took down two Walkers –"

"And you trashed Maggie's car, you ever apologize for that?" Andrea said as Lori spoke.

"Crashing her…" Lori said. "You're insane…"

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Danni yelled at her. "Can't you just shut up and listen for three minutes you dumb –"

Lori held her arm out to Danni who looked like she was ready to lunge at Andrea, obviously being around Daryl all the time was not a good thing.

"No, you are – and you are self-centered. The way you take it all for granted." Andrea sneered.

Lori shook her head. "My husband is out there – for the hundredth time – My son was shot –"

Danni decided to leave the kitchen. She was annoyed and she needed to get out. Dale noticed her face as she walked past him. "Danielle?" He said.

"I hate her." She said simply before she continued to walk off. She found Carol sitting by the pond so she went to sit beside her.

Carol managed a wan smile as she looked at Danni. "You're not on crutches."

"My leg is healing." Danni said. Deep down she wished everyone else was healing too, she wanted them to heal, there was a rift growing in the group and it was being help open by Shane and Andrea and she doubted they would ever let it be.


	22. The Times we Live in

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

* * *

Danni sat on the porch; she heard a crash from upstairs that made her get up and limped up the stairs were Lori and Maggie were freaking out. "What's wrong?" She asked.

"Beth tried to commit suicide." She said.

"Did Andrea –" She said slowly.

They nodded and Danni got up. "I'm going to go talk to her, go find Hershel –"

Lori ran off as Danni went to speak to Andrea. As she walked over she saw her sitting atop the R.V. straw hat atop her head, shotgun across her lap. "What the _hell_ is wrong with you?" She yelled up at Andrea.

"Do you have something to say?" She said.

"You left that girl, clearly in shock, alone with herself like that?" She said angrily. "Are you aware she tried to commit suicide?!"

Andrea looked at her. "Do you think it is your choice?"

Danni felt every fiber of her being long to punch Andrea squarely in the nose. "It is not your right to make her think that suicide is the way!" She yelled at her.

Andrea scoffed and Danni began to walk away, she paused and swung her fist, hitting Andrea squarely in the cheek, she fell back and stared up at Danni with disgust as Danni flexed her hand and then she nodded. "That felt good." She said before she limped away. She turned to look at Andrea. "You stay away from her, you stay away from Beth and from Maggie –" She then continued back to the house.

She walked in and Hershel ran in. She followed him upstairs and she watched as he began to tent to Beth. "What has come upon everyone?" He asked silently.

"I'm sorry… on behalf of the rest of us." She said as she put her hands on her knees. "Andrea… can't see past her own grief."

She walked back out to the porch and spotted the car, Maddy looked up curiously from her book. "Keep reading baby girl." She said as she walked over to Daryl. "They dumped him?" She asked him.

"Don't look like they did." He said.

She looked up at him curiously as he walked over to the car.

That night Maddy was curled up between Danni and Daryl, "Do you think he'd tell those guys where we were?" She asked him, he had his arm around them both.

"Dunno." He said. He looked at her, "Rick said he knows Maggie – I'm goin'a to talk to him."

"Why do I have the feeling you won't do it nicely?" She asked. He scoffed and looked up at the tent ceiling. She propped herself up on an arm. "Daryl," She said quietly. "Everyone is losing themselves…" She studied his face. "I don't want you to lose yourself too." She sounded fearful. "Please."

He looked at her. "At this point, I'm just doin' as I'm told –"

"You're not a brainless hit man." She said as she turned his face towards hers. "You have a good head on your shoulders, Daryl Dixon."

"Why the hell do you even care?" He snapped.

She stared down at his face before she smiled sadly. "I thought it was obvious." She said quietly. She turned away from him. She could feel him turn and his hand found hers as he grabbed it gently, she didn't move or say anything and just listened to the sounds that surrounded them.

The following morning they were all up early, Maddy and Carl were playing by the pond and Glenn was keeping an eye on them. Rick was speaking to Daryl and Danni kept her distance as she watched from afar, she sat beside Carol, she was holding his crossbow for him. He walked over to her a short while later and he grabbed it from her. "Are you going to go speak to him?" She asked.

"Yes." He said as he walked off.

She looked at Carol who looked just as worried as she felt. She watched him go into the shed before she got up and went to look after Carl and Danni.

Glenn nodded to her and walked off, she sat down at watched them. Maddy suddenly sprinted over to her and then dropped down beside her as Carl followed. "Danni?" She said.

"What now?" She asked with a groan.

Carl smirked as he sat on Danni's other side. "I'm telling you it isn't true." He said.

"Yeah it is! You're a boy, you wouldn't know." She huffed.

"What are you two talking about?" Danni asked with a chuckle, she flicked Carl's hat with an amused grin.

"I'm telling Carl that you love Daryl!" She said. "And that Daryl probably likes you back! He won't believe me!"

"Well why not?" Danni said.

Carl shrugged. "Because it's weird." He said.

"Oh, weird is it?" She chuckled as Danni draped herself across Danni's lap; she gently ran her hand over Danni's hair. "There is something very beautiful about finding love in a desolate place, Carl." She leaned back on her other hand. "It reminds us that we are human, and that we are able to survive on what little we have." She looked at him. "Or are you too _cool_ for that, you punk?" She said.

He grinned. "It's just hard to believe." He said.

"That love _can_ be found?"

"That someone can like Daryl Dixon." He muttered.

She pushed him back with a laugh. "You're a funny kid, I'll hand you that." She said.

"So?" Maddy said. "Do you?" She looked hopeful.

Danni chuckled as she stared off at the distance, how would she begin to explain the complexities of how she felt for Daryl Dixon? She looked down at the expectant children. "Someday, when you're older – you'll understand." She told them.

"Do you?" Carl demanded.

She laughed. "Why do you guys care if I do or not?" She said.

"Because if you do," Maddy said. "I get half of Carl's dinner tonight."

"Gambling on my account?" She said. "They start so young!"

"DANNI!" They exclaimed.

She laughed again. "I'm never having kids because of you monsters, just so you know."

Carl rolled his eyes. "So? What is it?"

She just smiled gently. "I'll tell you if…" She said as she got up. "You can tell me the name of every capitol for every state." She said. "And you have till tonight –" She then dusted herself off. "We should get back."

They all stood around the fire, Lori was boiling something and then she handed it to Carl who grudgingly took it. "What's the plan?" Lori asked. "We'd all feel better if we knew it."

"Is there are plan?" Andrea asked.

"Are we going to keep him here?" Glenn asked.

"We'll know soon enough." Rick said as Daryl joined them once more, Danni saw his knuckles were bloody, he stopped beside her and then spoke up.

"Boy there's got a gang." Daryl said. "30 Men. They have heavy artillery and they ain't looking to make friends. They roll through here, our boys are dead, and our women... they're gonna - they're gonna wish they were."

"What did you do?" Carol asked.

"Had a little chat..."

Carol frowned and walked away. "No one goes near this guy." Rick said.

"Rick, what are you going to do?" Lori asked her husband.

"We have no choice, he's a threat... we have to eliminate the threat -"

"You're just going to kill him?" Dale asked.

"It's settled, we'll do it today." Rick said before walking away.

Danni watched as Daryl walked away, she went to her tent to grab her small first aid kit before she followed him.

He was sitting alone, flexing his hands as he stared at his bloodied knuckles. She sat down in front of him and pulled out a rag and a small bottle from her kit. "Let me see that." She said quietly. He silently held out his hands as she wet the rag and gently dabbed at it, he flinched a bit but didn't pull away. "I'm not… going to even ask." She said quietly.

"Good." He said.

She stared at his fingers silently as she continued to clean them. "Did it hurt when you punched the guy?" Carl's voice said from behind her.

"I've been through worse," Daryl said in response. "So have you, buddy."

She looked up at him with a glance that said 'buddy?'

"Can I try shooting with that?" He asked as he pointed to the crossbow.

"Your arms ain't long enough." Daryl said.

"Yeah they are, please?"

"Carl, go find Maddy." She said quietly.

"Yeah, go pester your old man." Daryl said.

Carol looked at Danni before walking off. When she saw Carol walking towards them she got up, he looked up and then he looked at her, she handed him bandages and simply walked away.

As she walked back Dale found her. "Danielle."

"What's up?" She asked him. "Mind if I sit? My knee's bothering me."

"Not at all." He said as he helped her sit on a log.

"What's on your mind?" She asked him.

He hesitated. "Do you… agree with the decision to kill Randall?" He asked.

She thought about it, she thought about his group, the men that had kidnapped her; the men that had threatened to do terrible things to her – things they did to other girls.

But Randall was one man. What was one man as opposed to a whole group? She frowned as she looked up at him. "No, I don't."

He looked relieved.

"His group… may have tried to kill me… and I may have been in a position where they would…" She trailed off. "But… he isn't his group –" She frowned. "No one will see it like that."

"I know." He said as he sat beside her. "Danielle, I don't know what to do anymore, I'm trying to make us remember out humanity – trying…"

She put a hand on his shoulder. "Dale… look at the time we're living in." She said gently. "Everyone… is terrified – and this boy… he is a threat."

"What do you suggest?" He asked.

"I want to talk to this boy." She said evenly. "I need to talk to him." She got up. "I think I can make him talk."

He got up and followed her as she went to find Rick.

When she found him, and told him what she thought both he and Daryl firmly said no. "We can't risk you –"

"Risk?" She said. "He's just one man. With a lame leg –"

"Like you ain't?" Daryl snapped.

"Look –" She said. "He might get emotional when he sees me – guilt… I don't know… I'm the girl his guys almost took and did horrible things to – if he's a good guy –"

"That's it, Dan, he isn't a good guy!"

"Rick." She said. "I want to contribute as much as I can… and I feel like I can – with interrogating this boy myself – I'll take Daryl." She said as she gestured to him.

Daryl and Rick shared a glance and then they nodded. "Fine." He said. "Take Daryl with you."

She nodded and the pair went to the shed, Danni grabbed a water bottle and a peach before she followed Daryl all the way.

When he let her in the boy flinched. He looked young; she watched as Daryl tried to intimidate him, she put a hand on Daryl's chest. "Sit down and watch." She said.

He hesitantly opened. She turned to Randall and eyed him. "You thirsty?" She asked.

He nodded. She opened the bottle and crouched down as she helped him drink. Once he had his fill she sat back. "Do you know who I am?" She asked him.

He shook his head.

"I'm the girl five men from your group took." She said evenly. "They tied me to a tree, and tortured me to find out where this farm is –" She pulled out a knife. "I will not hesitate to treat in kind if I deem you to be scum like them." She promised.

He backed away from her.

"They told me they did things to girls not as pretty as me." She said. "Who were those girls? And are they dead?"

"N-No." He said. "I don't know who they were – b-but…"

She neared him and the tip of her blade touched the corner of his mouth. "I can tell when someone is lying." She said. "Did you know who they were?"

His eyes widened in terror. "I don't!" He yelled.

"I'm trying to help someone who doesn't want you killed." She said. "But if I feel the lives of the people in this camp are under threat – I will not hesitate to inflict pain." She stared him in the eye. "Where is your group?" She pressed the blade closer to his skin.

"LOOK! I'll tell you!" He yelled. "But they've probably moved on –"

"You better tell us quick." She said in a dangerous tone.

He began to stutter out where he saw them last, she got up and nodded to Daryl who followed her out. She leaned against him as her knee started to hurt. "If you're going down that road, at least let me go with you." She said.

He put his arm around her shoulders as they walked back to camp to tell the others what they had just found out. As they walked Dale found them. Daryl scoffed. "Carol send you?"

"No." Dale said. "I'm here because I'm trying to find some sense in this group – please tell me you don't agree with killing the boy!"

"I don't care what happens to him." He said as his hand slid around Danni's waist. "'s long as his goons stay away from everyone."

"If you don't," Dale asked. "Try to save the kid's life if it really doesn't matter one way or another?"

"Didn't peg you to be a desperate -" He started.

"Daryl, I agree with Dale." She said as she tried to reason with him. "Just because his group is… doesn't mean he is –"

He looked down at her and then began to lead her away.

"Your opinion makes a difference." Dale said.

"Man, ain't nobody looking at me for nothing." Daryl said.

"Danielle is... Carol is... and I am. Right now." Dale said as they began to walk off. "And you obviously have Rick's ear."

"Rick just looks to Shane. Let him." Daryl said sounding annoyed. He tried to leave again but Dale wouldn't have it.

"You cared about what happened to Sophia..." This stopped Daryl and made him turn around. "Cared what it meant to the group." He walked over to them. "Torturing people? That isn't you. You're a decent man. So is Rick." Dale paused for a moment. "Shane... he's different." He said.

"Why's that? 'Cause he killed Otis?"

Dale was silent for a short moment. "He tell you that?"

"He told some story." Daryl said.

"He showed up with the dead guy's gun." Daryl shook his head. "Rick ain't stupid, if he didn't figure that out it's because he didn't wanna." He turned to leave again. "It's like I said... Group's broken."

"But we can unbreak it." Danni said gently. "Daryl, please – just…"

"It's not my business." He said.

She silently looked at Dale who frowned dejectedly and watched them walk away. As they walked back to Camp Andrea came across them, she looked perplexed. "Danni, look –"

"I have nothing to say to you." She said as they walked past her.

"Do you even know what it's like?" Andrea said. "To lose someone?"

She turned around to look at her. "Yes, I do." She said. "I had to burn Maddy's family because they were all attacked by Walkers." She pointed at her. "I didn't give up because I do have something to live for – you need to find something to live for…" She paused. "I'm sorry I hit you… I was out of place." She said.

Andrea nodded and watched the pair walk away.

"What was that?" Daryl asked her.

"My initiative to prove to you that we can unbreak this group – if we try hard enough." She said silently. "All we all have is each other; we need to at least know how to cope with each other."

He said nothing as she walked away from him to join Maddy.


	23. Loss

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

So, I would like to pause a second to thank everone reading this story... I can't even begin to express how grateful I am and how pleased I am by the reviews you're all leaving and all the faves and all the follows I am getting, it's almost overwhelming but in the best way possible- I'm not used to seeing a story do so well as I write it and it is all thanks to you lovelies! So keep it coming please! Also, there is something I would like to address, since I intend to take this into season three- which premires in October, so the pace in which I update will slow down a bit... Especially now that I am closer to the end of season two... So that is something I feel like I should say. Anyways, I'll cut my rambling here and let you read the story! Thank you again for your continued support and keep it coming!

-Tari

* * *

Danni sat beside Carol and Maddy was sitting at Danni's feet as she braided her hair gently. Carol looked upset as she studied her nails silently. "Carol? Everything okay?" She asked gently.

"I…" She shrugged. "Carl… he…"

Danni seemed to understand. "Did he run his mouth?" She asked quietly.

"You could say that." Carol said.

They sat there for a while when Danni was done she let Maddy go. Danni got up and saw Dale was still going around the camp, trying to get people to change their minds. She met up with Dale and they sat down on the porch, "Anything?" She asked him.

He shook his head. "Is it so bad we're trying to preserve our humanity?" He asked.

"No." She said gently. She put her hands on her knees and then she got up. "I'm going to go find Daryl," She said. "Maybe I'll be able to talk some sense in to him again – maybe he'll see things the way you do… but I doubt it." She smiled gently and then she walked off.

"We're… going to vote on the situation – later in the day…" Dale said.

"I'll be sure to drag him with me." She said with a gentle smile. As she walked on she waved to Andrea who was sitting atop the R.V. keeping watch, Danni decided that it was no use to fight with people of their group, if they liked it or not.

She found Daryl deep in the woods surrounding the farm, he was crouching behind a tree; she silently crouched down behind him and saw he was eyeing a squirrel. He shot it and then went to grab it. "What?" He said as he looked at her.

"Is there nothing I can do to sway your mind?" She asked.

"I don't get why you're so keen on saving that idiot's life." He said. "His people –"

She fell in to step with him. "It isn't about wicked people – Daryl – it's about… a point that we have to make." She stopped him by putting her hands on his chest. "To prove we're still people – and we have our humanity –" She looked down at his chest as she frowned. "If we kill him – does that make us any better than his people –"

"They took you," He said evenly but she could tell he was trying to not yell angrily. "They would have –"

"I KNOW!" She said as she looked up at him. "You think I don't know? And it terrifies me the fact that – even with the world going to hell – people still have the gall to do things like that!" She exclaimed. She stepped away from him. "But this isn't about him – or that group – it's about us – all of us – and how long we stay human." He shook his head as he made to walk past her. She had to fall into step with him again, "Daryl – please –"

"What the hell was that you pulled when you went to talk to him?" He snapped.

She paused. "I made him talk, didn't I?" She demanded.

He shook his head as he continued to talk away.

"Look," She said. "We should get back to the house – trust me on this – okay?" She asked.

"Fine." He said.

Together they walked to camp where he put his things down before they walked to the house; Maddy and Carl were upstairs with Beth.

"So how do we do this? Just take a vote?" Glenn asked once they had all settled down.

"Does it have to be unanimous?" Andrea asked.

"How about majority rules?" Lori asked from beside the door.

"Let's just see where everybody stands." Rick said. "Then we can talk through the options."

"Well, where I sit... there's only one way to move forward." Shane said.

"Killing him, right?" Dale asked. "I mean why bother taking a vote? It's clear which way the wind's blowing."

"Well, if people believe we should spare him... I want to know." Rick said it was like he was trying to appease Dale.

"Well I can tell you it's a small group... I know for a fact that its me, and maybe Glenn and Danni." Dale said as he looked at the pair.

Glenn was silent as he looked at Dale. "Look I... I think you're pretty much right about everything, all the time... but this..."

"They've got you scared!" Dale said.

"He's not one of us!" Glenn said. "And we've... we've lost too many people already."

"How about you? Do you agree with this?" Dale asked Hershel and Maggie who had gotten up.

"Couldn't we continue keeping him as prisoner?" Maggie asked.

"Just another mouth to feed." Daryl said from beside Danni.

"It may be a lean winter." Hershel said.

"We could ration better." Lori added.

"Well... he could be an asset." Dale offered. "Give him a chance to prove himself!"

"Put him to work?" Glenn asked.

"We're not letting him walk around." Rick said.

"We can put an escort on him." Maggie said.

"Who wants to volunteer for that duty?" Shane asked dryly.

"I'd do it." Danni offered. "Give me something to do around here…"

"Like hell you are." Daryl said.

"Then I will." Dale said.

"I don't think anyone should be walking around with this guy." Rick said.

"He's right... I wouldn't feel safe unless he was tied up." Lori said.

"We can't exactly put chains around his ankles and sentence him to hard labor." Andrea said skeptically.

"Look," Shane started. "Say we let him join us, right? Maybe he's helpful... maybe he's nice we let out guard down... and maybe he runs off brings back his 30 men. Then hurting Dan would be the least of our problems."

"So the answer is to kill him to prevent a crime that he may never even attempt?" Dale said, he sounded like he had enough of everyone. "If we do this, we're saying there's no hope. Rule of law is dead. There is no civilization."

"Oh my God." Shane muttered as he leaned against the mantle behind him.

"Could you drive him further out?" Hershel asked. "Leave him like you planned?"

"You barely came back this time." Lori said. "There are Walkers, you could break down... You could get lost."

"Or ambushed." Daryl said.

"They're right." Glenn said. "We should not put our own people at risk."

"If you go through with is." Patricia said. "How would you do it? Would he suffer?"

"We could hang him, right? Just snap his neck." Shane said.

"I thought about that." Rick said. "Shooting may be more humane."

T-Dog shifted. "And what about the body?" He asked. "Do we bury him?"

"Hold on, hold on!" Dale yelled. "You're talking about this like it's already decided!"

"We've been talking all day; going around in circles... you just wanna go around in circles again?" Daryl asked.

"This is a young man's life!" Dale yelled at them. "And it is worth more than a five minute conversation! Is this what it's come to? We kill someone because we can't decide what else to do with him?" He was furious now. "Y-You saved him and now look at us! He's been tortured, he's gonna be executed... how are we any better than those people that we're so afraid of?"

Everyone looked upset as they looked at each other. Danni looked around at them, they were all silent – they were all thinking about what Dale was saying and they knew he was right. Taking a life would change them all, it would bring something new to them – something savage that they hadn't done before – hell, they had already gone down that path when they began to question him the way they did.

"We all know what needs to be done." Shane said.

"No, Dale is right." Rick said. "We can't leave any stone unturned here."

"We have a responsibility here -"

"So what's the other solution?" Andrea said as she interrupted Rick.

"Let Rick finish." Lori, snapped.

Andrea ignored them. "We haven't come up with a single viable option yet. I wish we could."

"So let's work on it!" Dale said loudly.

"We are!" Rick said.

"Stop it. Just stop it." Carol said as she finally spoke up. "I'm sick of everybody arguing and fighting. I didn't ask for this... you can't ask us to decide on something like this, please decide… either of you – both of you... Just leave me out of this."

"Not speaking out…" Dale said. "Is like you're killing him yourself, there's no difference."

Rick stopped them. "All right, that's enough." He said. "Anybody who wants the floor before we make a final decision has the chance." He turned to Danni. "Dan? You look like you have something to say."

She nodded. "I do," She said. "Carl is going cold…" She started slowly. "Maddy… is doing the best she can to not do that… Beth – tried to commit suicide… there are things going on here… between us – that is so much bigger… and they are fragile – one wrong step could shatter everything we crave so badly… Stability… Safety… maybe even love." She put her hands in her pockets. "All I know is that Maddy asked me before I told her to sit with Beth if we were going to kill the boy in the barn." She looked at the floor. "I don't know if I could walk with something like that on my shoulders… I mean – she's only ten."

In a final and desperate attempt Dale gestured to Rick. "You once said that we don't kill the living."

"Well that was before the living tried to kill us." Rick replied.

"But, don't you see? If we do this the people that we were... the world that we knew... is dead." He shook his head. "And this new world is ugly." He was fuming now. "It's harsh! It's... it's survival of the fittest! And that's a world I don't want to live in. And I don't believe that any of you do! I can't!" He was crying now, Danni had to look away because she couldn't stand to see him cry, it made her want to cry too. "Please. Let's just do what's right." He looked around. "Isn't there anyone else here who's going to stand up with us?"

The silence was deafening, Danni hoped his words weighed on them like it did her.

"He's right." Andrea finally spoke up, and Dale looked over, hope in his eyes. "We should try to find another way..." Danni nodded as she looked at Andrea.

"Anybody else?" Rick asked.

"I agree too," Danni said. "If it weren't obvious…"

When nobody spoke up Dale shook his head. "Are you all going to watch, too?" He then shook his head. "No, you're going to hide your heads in your tents and try to forget that we're slaughtering a human being." He shook his head again. "I won't be a part of it." He then walked away; before he left he stopped at Daryl and put his hand on his shoulder. "This group is broken."

They all stood there silently for a long time, Danni slowly walked out of the house. Daryl followed her and they sat on the swing. "You can't agree with this." She said. "You can't –" She looked at him.

"I don't." He said. "But if it keeps the group safe –"

"If it keeps the group safe – Daryl – please! Listen to yourself!" She gripped his arm tightly. "You can't let this happen!" She got up. "You –" She walked to the porch rail and gripped it tightly until her knuckles turned white. "The only reason I feel so strongly about this is because of Maddy –" She gritted her teeth. "I can't watch her grow up in a world void of humanity! All of you – you people are all she knows! If we lose that – if we lose it –" She shook her head. "You said –" She turned to look at him. "Don't we matter to you?" She asked him. "Don't you care about Maddy?"

He got up. "Don't pull her into this." He said.

"Than what, huh?" She said. "I sure as hell can't pull myself into this – I just –" She turned away again. "Do you think this is easy for me, Daryl?" She asked quietly.

"What the hell do you want me to say?" He said. "Huh?"

"That we can turn to you if we need to." She said. "We are terrified – we all are… and all I want – hell… all I want is for Maddy to be safe… and Happy – this was never about me – never – it was always about her… don't you get it?"

"What do you want?" He asked.

"I don't know." She said. She then walked over to him and hugged him.

She thought it was terrible when one didn't know how to speak their mind, she was bad at it – Daryl had shown them nothing but kindness to them and it hurt her that she didn't know how to express herself to him, someone who had become to mean so much to her. She was afraid to say something – and to chase him away. She was about to pull away but his arms wrapped around her tightly. She hid her face in his chest as she thought about what they were planning to do. "Can't I make you change your mind about it?" She asked silently.

He huffed. "They took you," He said. "If killing that guy keeps his buddies from getting to the others –"

She looked up at him. "So you mean to do it either way." Even though he didn't say anything she could see everything he was trying to convey but he couldn't in his expression. She let out a sigh as she stepped away but he wouldn't remove his arms. She nodded and looked down. "I understand."

When night fell Rick, Daryl, and Shane took Randall to the barn, there they would execute him. Danni sat waiting in the spot Daryl rook for his own as she waited for the gunshot, for the sound of something dying, but it never came. When they emerged Daryl walked over to her and he sat down. "You didn't do it…" She said quietly.

"The kid… he told his dad to shoot…" He trailed off looking disturbed, the gently grasped his hand with hers and the stared at their fingers. "Why'd you have to be right?"

She smiled gently as she looked at him. "Some things… are more important than others… Carl and Maddy – well… they are the future –"

"Stop before you get into that cliché nonsense." He said.

"Cliché, big word." She teased.

"Shut up." He retorted. He pulled his hand from hers and put it around her shoulders as she leaned in to him. They suddenly heard a noise. "What's that?" He said.

"You hear it too?" She asked.

He pulled her up and they ran to the source, they saw a Walker was bent over something so Daryl quickly attacked it, Danni ran and shock hit her like a ton of bricks in the gut when she saw Dale. He was huffing and gasping in pain as she fell to his side. "D-Dale?" She said gently. She saw the nasty gaping hole in his stomach. He struggled to speak, Danni's hands shook uncontrollably as they hovered over the wound, there was nothing they could do now – nothing. She felt tears forced themselves down her face as she tried to compose herself.

"OVER HERE!" Daryl yelled. "HELP! OVER HERE!"

Andrea was soon on her side as the others ran. There was chaos all around them, "There's nothing we can do." Danni said, her voice didn't sound like her own as everyone around her sobbed, her own sobs surfaced, they choked her and all she could do was gently put her hands on Dale's cheeks as he choked out in pain.

"He's suffering!" Andrea said. "Do something!"

Daryl pulled her away as Rick aimed his gun, but he couldn't do it. Daryl took the gun from him and aimed. Danni was still at Daryl's side, she clung to him as he let out a quiet sigh. "I'm sorry brother…" Daryl said before shooting him.

Wails and sobs filled the air, Maddy ran to Danni and clung to her as she sobbed into her stomach, Danni hugged her tightly as she tried to soothe her but she felt hysterical herself and didn't know how to control her own tears. Daryl walked over to them and led them away from the others.

The three were in Danni's tent, resting on Danni's mattress, she had stopped crying and she tried to soothe Maddy as best as she could, she gently ran her fingers through her hair as she looked at Daryl who looked just as bad as she felt. She looked down at Maddy and saw that the child had fallen asleep, tears still clinging to her eyelashes. "You did the right thing." She said quietly.

"I know I did." He said; he then looked at her. She let out a small sigh as he put a hand on her cheek.

"Do you think… if they had listened… if –" She started.

"No, a Walker strayed into the farm – that's our fault – we got so wrapped up with killing the guy or not we let out guard down…" He trailed off.

"This isn't your fault." She said gently.

He was silent, she hugged Maddy closer to her and realized that they had all changed when Sophia died – things were definitely going to change now… They needed to pull things together if they wanted to survive this terrible world they were in. She pressed a kiss to the top of Maddy's head before she closed her eyes. Nothing mattered to her more than Maddy at the moment, and she would do anything to make sure the child in her arms was safe.


	24. What Now?

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

* * *

The air had a cold chill to it; autumn was finally near, they all stood in the early morning light watching as Rick and Daryl put Dale's body in the ground. Maddy was sobbing silently into Danni's hip, Danni knew that Maddy was crying over more than just Dale – she was crying over Sophia too. Daryl walked over to them and Danni wrapped her arm around his mid-section as he put his arms around both her and Maddy. Danny looked to the R.V. and it felt like a vice gripped her heart, no longer would they look up to find him sitting there… He would no longer give them that look that made them really think about their actions, he was more than just a man in a hat and a gun across his lap. He was their moral compass; she knew that from now on it would feel like fumbling about in the dark.

"Dale... had a way of getting under your skin." Rick began. "He sure got under mine, because he wasn't afraid to say exactly what he thought... how he felt... That kind of honesty is rare... And brave." She pressed her forehead against Daryl's jaw as everyone listened silently. They all looked sad, despaired… guilty. "Whenever I'd make a decision, I'd look at Dale.. He'd be looking back at me with that look he had... We've all seen it one time of another. I couldn't always read him... but he could read us. He saw people for who they were... He knew things about us... the truth... Who we really are... In the end, he was talking about losing our humanity... He said this group was broken. The best way to honor him... is to unbreak it. Set aside our differences and pull together, stop feeling sorry for ourselves and take control of our lives. Our safety... Our future... We're not broken... We're gonna prove him wrong." They all glanced at each other. "From now on." He continued. "We're gonna do it his way. That is how we honor Dale."

They silently stared at the graves, in a neat row Annette, Shawn, Sophia, And Dale all lie – under the oak-tree where they would rest in peace. Danni couldn't cry, lord knows she had cried herself out the previous night with no one to listen but Daryl who was enveloped in his own grief, they didn't get any sleep that night, they could hear Hershel and Rick looking over Dale. Carl walked over to Maddy and the pair walked off, Danni and Daryl watched after them as they walked back to camp silently. "What now?" She asked him as he kept his arm around her shoulders.

"Winter is coming," He replied. "Walkers are probably runnin' out of food…"

She didn't like the sound of that.

"From here on out it's us just trying to keep safe." He shrugged.

She let out a sigh as she pulled away from him. "Teach me how to shoot your crossbow." She said.

"What?" He said.

She stepped away from him as she looked up at him. "If I learn – I think it would be useful – you never know when –"

"I'll teach you." He said.

She paused and looked at him. "You… will?"

"If it stops you from naggin' yeah, I will." He said.

She grinned at him and took his hand in hers before they walked to Maddy and Carl.

Maddy had calmed down but her eyes were puffy, and Carl was quiet, Danni thought she saw guilt on his face. "Hey, Carl?" Danni said. "You okay?" Daryl walked off because Rick had waved him over.

"… Yeah, I'm fine." The boy replied, but he didn't sound too convincing to the woman.

"You sure, kid?" Danni asked. "You know… you can talk to me if you want – it's hard to talk to your parents sometimes…"

"No, I'm fine. Thanks anyways." He said. "Come on Maddy."

The girl nodded and followed him. Danni let out a sigh as she stared down at her boots, she let out a sigh as someone sat down beside her; she looked up and saw Andrea. "Hey." Danni said.

She nodded. "Hey."

They sat in silence and Danni let out a sigh. "He loved you, you know." She said quietly. "Very much so."

Andrea nodded. "I know… I just wish…" She said quietly. "I wish I was there for him when he needed me most."

"I think we all screwed up just a little…" Danni said. "Be it to him… or to each other…" She stared at the sky as she mused on this. "But Rick is right – Andrea… we need to stand strong – and together – or else it won't work out." She let out a quiet sigh. "I should have never hit you…"

"I probably deserved it." She said with a gentle smile.

Danni looked down at her again and stared at her for a while, Andrea shifted uncomfortably before she looked away. "What?"

"Sorry…" She said. "I was just thinking." She watched Rick, Shane, T-Dog, and Daryl discuss something with Hershel who nodded slightly. "About the group… our family… and the person we lost…" Danni trailed off. "You know – we were all so afraid that he'd see the monsters within us… So afraid he'd find out that deep down we're all rotten… and that the world has gotten to us… we never realized that he did see them – and he tried to force us to ignore them…"

Andrea smiled gently. "Like he could see right through us…"

"And he tried his hardest…" Danni chuckled gently. "But now…" She frowned. "He can see them clearly – he's probably up there… where all the good people go – watching down on us… and I really can't help but wonder…" She let out a quiet sigh. "Does he have the 'look' on his face?"

"He probably does." Andrea said.

Danni nodded. "He probably does." She agreed.

They sat in silence when Daryl walked up to them and looked at Danni who got up. "I'll see you around, Andrea."

She nodded with a knowing look before the two walked off. Daryl looked at her as they walked along, "You patch things up with her?" He asked.

"Yes, I did." She said gently. "What did they want?" She asked.

"Talking to Hershel to let us carry our guns." He replied. "That Walker stumbled on to the land – and with Randall's people…" He stopped by the place he had made camp after Sophia died. He sat down and she sat down beside him. "We're going to have to all pull our weight from here on out." He told her.

"I figured." She said quietly.

"I'm going to teach you how to use my crossbow." He said. "But I found some wood behind the barn …" He fell silent.

"Why would that matter?" She asked.

"Gunna carve you a bow." He said.

She looked at him oddly. "You… are… going to carve – _me_ a bow." She said slowly.

He nodded. "I'd prefer you use something –"

"You'd prefer." She said quietly.

He looked at her awkwardly. "What the hell are you doing?" He asked.

"I'm stunned, is all." She replied. He didn't say anything; she leaned against his arm as she smiled gently. "Thank you." She said gently. "For being there for us."

His hand found hers for a moment before he got up and pulled her up with him. He then began to teach her how to shoot his crossbow.

He circled her as he watched her check the safety of his crossbow before she set it into the firing position. She then put the front end of the crossbow on the ground with the rear of the stock resting against her abdomen once she had gotten that right she placed foot into the stirrup at the front end of the crossbow. She then grabbed the bowstring with both of her hands as she pulled it up into the locking mechanism, she heard a click but she let go too soon and the string whipped back down. She let out a surprised hiss but then she pulled it up again, when she had pulled it up and it was properly secure, she then lifted it up and held it like a shot-gun, he didn't put an arrow in it so he didn't risk losing it so he watched as she pressed on the trigger, the strength of the crossbow knocked her back, she let out a surprised cough.

"Didn't expect that, did you?" He said with a smirk.

"You are a jerk." She replied with a groan.

He pulled her up and she smacked him in the chest before she went back to practicing. They stayed there until night fell; Daryl had begun to carve at some wood as he watched her continue to shoot.

When night had fallen they retreated back to the camp, Maddy ran into Danni's arms before they went into the tent, as usual they listened to Maddy sleep while they stayed awake. She stared down at Maddy for a while. "Do you still think of Merle?" She asked.

He nodded.

"Do you think you'll ever find him?" She asked.

He looked at her.

"I don't… mean to discourage you…" She said gently. "I'm just… genuinely curious."

"I don't know." He said. "Most days I think maybe I'll find him… but then…" He looked guilty.

"You think you don't want to…" She replied quietly. She shifted and hesitated before she gently nudged Maddy to her other side so she could inch closer to Daryl, he put his arm around her and she put her head on his chest. "… What do you care about, Daryl Dixon?" She asked gently. "Aside from your brother."

He stared at her and his fingers went to her hair. She smiled gently as he caressed her cheek. She knew he would never say it, but there was a look on his face that made her fall silent and feel very important to him. She was about to say something but Maddy whimpered. Daryl sat up and pulled the child into his arms, her whimpering ceased as he settled back. Danni smiled gently as she stared at him. "Right now," He said. "You two are important – everyone is important – but you two –"

She lightly put her fingers on his lips. "Too out of character." She whispered.

"Shut up." He said.

She smiled gently and moved so he could put Maddy between them. Sleep never came to them – then again in those days it hardly ever did – that night had a chill to it, Daryl pulled a blanket over them and the trio curled up into each-other. "It's getting colder…" She whispered as her hand found his.

He silently stared up at the ceiling of the tent as silence enveloped them, the events of the day refusing to leave their minds.


	25. Hope

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

Sorry, I know this chapter is short, and a filler, I've been trying to fill out between major events while I wait on Season Three... I felt like I needed some fluff so I wrote down this chapter, I hope Daryl is not too OOC... Also, I wanted to thank everyone who had been reviewing, Following, and Favoriting! I have never had a story with so many followers! Please keep it up because you all motivate me! (Lord knows I've been needing a lot of motivation lately.) Anyways - I shall let you all read! And again... thank you!

* * *

The morning brought an achy chill to their bones, Danni knew it was early because the sky was not light so she curled up tightly into Daryl's side seeking his warmth, Maddy was asleep on her other side clutching to her back. She silently mused about how the day will go; Rick will probably assign them all jobs so they could all pull themselves together. Her mind went back to Maddy and she realized that her birthday was nearing. She groaned and pushed herself up, slightly shivering at the cool air as she reached over Daryl to her pack to pull out a small calendar.

"What are you doing?" He asked groggily.

"I think today might be Maddy's birthday." She replied quietly so she wouldn't wake the sleeping child. She flipped through the calendar and let herself gently fall across Daryl's torso as she thumbed through it. "It's been…" She muttered. Her hand paused. "Today is Maddy's birthday…" She said gently. "She turns eleven." She let out a quiet sigh as she sat up. "I have nothing to give her." She looked down at the sleeping child.

He put an arm under his head. "Why don't you ask Hershel and his people?" He asked.

"We've already imposed so much." She said gently. She saw him gesture with his arm for her to curl up beside him again and she obeyed.

"Don't worry about it." He said. She let out a quiet sigh as she shivered slightly, Daryl sighed as he stretched. "We best be gettin' up."

She nodded. "Yeah." She agreed. She sat up again as he got up and braced himself before he stood up, he found a university sweatshirt they had found in one of the cars before they arrived at the farm and he tossed it to her, she put it on over her shirt as she waited for its warmth to envelop her. She tucked the blankets around Maddy before Daryl stepped out of the tent as he shrugged his jacket on. She changed into a pair of jeans before she stepped out and into her boots. Everyone was deathly quiet; Carl was not yet up as Daryl threw Danni an apple. "Ready?" He asked her.

"Yeah." She said.

"Where are you going?" Lori asked them.

"Daryl's teaching me how to use his crossbow." She replied. She hesitated. "Lori, um…" She sat down beside the older woman. "Today… it's Maddy's birthday – and I have no idea…" She looked a bit distressed. "This is the first time I've ever had to do something like this…"

"Don't worry about it honey." Lori said. "I'll think of something."

Danni let out a relieved sigh. "Thank you so much." She then got up and walked off after Daryl. As they walked they passed the graves, her heart clenched as she jogged off after Daryl.

They went back to their spot and he handed her the crossbow as he continued to work on the bow he had begun to carve for her. He sat and watched as she pulled back the string of the cross-bow, and then she placed an arrow – when she pressed the trigger she had prepared herself for the jolt, this time it did not throw her back or jar her shoulder and the arrow hit the target perfectly.

She didn't turn to him to smile and rejoice that she had finally gotten it; instead she prepared the weapon again and set a second arrow – this time she wanted to go further so she looked through the scope. To her surprise she saw a Walker stumbling about in the woods – Daryl must have seen it too because he put aside his whittling and he got up. She held in a breath as she shot the arrow – it flew right into its forehead. "They're moving closer to us." She said.

"Yeah…" He said as they ran to the Walker to yank out the arrow. "We need to tell the others."

She nodded. "Rick will want to know." She shouldered the crossbow.

He looked at her. "Good job." He said as he led her back to Camp.

She grinned at the praise as she watched him pick up the unfinished bow.

Rick was staring at a map when the pair arrived; T-Dog was sitting beside him. "Mornin'." He greeted.

"Morning." Danni said. "Rick, we have to report."

He looked up. "What is it?"

"We found a Walker in the forest." Daryl said.

T-Dog looked up sharply. "What?"

"We guess they're moving out here." Danni said. "For food."

"Looks like we need to double watch." Rick said. "Thank you for informing me."

They nodded and walked off. Maddy was awake as Lori braided her hair. "Danni! Daryl!" She exclaimed happily.

"Hold on." Lori said with a gentle chuckle.

Danni watched as Maddy's knees jumped up and down.

"You can go now." Lori said.

Danni smiled as Maddy flew into her, she lifted the girl up and hugged her. "Happy birthday Baby Girl." She said gently.

Maddy smiled brightly as she was set down on the ground. She then shyly looked up at Daryl who got down to his knees and Maddy launched herself at him as she hugged him tightly.

Lori smiled gently at Danni who nodded gently. "Hey look, Baby Girl, Daryl and I have things to do… how about you spend the day with Lori and keep her company?"

Maddy nodded and went back to sit with Lori as Danni and Daryl marched off. She wished she could go in to town and maybe get Maddy something for her birthday. As they walked off Danni mused. A year ago she would have never thought she would be the sole guardian of a child, let alone the daughter or her best friend.

Then again – who ever imagined things like that? She would have been a terrible person to ever consider that her friends would die and she would be the only person left to care for Maddy.

No, she wasn't alone…

She looked at Daryl as they settled down in a spot, he was silent and yet despite everything Danni knew that deep down they had become this weird little family. She relied and needed Daryl just as much as he relied and needed her – and in turn Maddy needed them. She smiled gently as she put the crossbow beside her; he noticed her look and he gave her an odd one. "What?"

She shook her head as she looked away. "It's nothing." She said quietly.

He went back to working on the bow.

It had been two days since Dale's passing. Shane had become someone no one really wanted to associate with – except Andrea who seemed to have the habit of vanishing off with him at odd times.

Not that Danny wanted to know why.

Andrea and Danni were slowly but surely becoming friends – Danni was finding that she shared some similarities with the blonde, she told her of Maddy's parents – her best friends… and how she had to kill them. And in turn Andrea told her about Amy.

Things had changed in the aftermath of Dale's death, and Randall still lingered in the shed. Hershel was not as difficult as he used to be, now he knew that he could not kick them off the farm – even if most days he felt like he needed to but he knew that without them there would be no protection against whatever monsters there were out there… Dead or otherwise for it was becoming painfully apparent that they had to fear the living as well.

Daryl paused to look at her, she sat leaning against the stone wall as she stared to camp with a glazed look in her eyes; she had that look a lot now since Dale died. He put his hand on her knee and she slowly pulled herself out of her reverie as her hand found his gently. "It's getting colder." She said quietly. "The tents won't keep us warm."

"We can't just ask to be kept in the house." He said.

"No, we can't." She agreed. She let out a sigh. "We have to wait for Hershel to offer." She frowned. "Daryl, Maddy's Eleven now – and she's here… without her mother… without her father…" She broke off with a sigh. "Next year she'll be twelve – and then after that thirteen!" She shook her head. "I'm not competent to be a parent figure!"

He gave her hand a squeeze. "You're doin' fine."

She shrugged as he pulled his hand away again and went back to working on the wood. "I think I might have something to give her…" She said. She got up and grinned as she dusted herself off. She leaned over and kissed the top of his head before she ran off.

Carol smiled wanly as Danni sprinted past them and practically flew into her tent. She zipped it shut and put a lock on the zippers so Maddy wouldn't get in. She then went to one of her containers that contained her shirts, with time she had begun to find Daryl's things with theirs – yet another thing that just sort of happened. As she sifted through the shirts she found a box.

Her jewelry box.

She had snatched it with her before she left the apartment when everything went to bad. She opened it and saw her various bits of jewelry. Some of them were gifts from people she had worked with – things she couldn't afford if she wanted to, and some were heirlooms, some were things she bought.

But what she was looking for was a necklace.

It was a simple necklace made of white gold with a single sapphire handing from it, the sapphire was probably as big as Maddy's pinky-nail. Danni smiled gently as she studied it, Barney had given it to her one Christmas, it was the Christmas after Maddy was born and it felt fitting to give it to the child. She shut the box and stowed it away safely before she found a small pouch she could use to put the necklace in. Once she was sure that is what she wanted to give the child she put it under her mattress and then the removed the lock from the zippers and then she let herself out.

Rick appeared. "Hey, Dan – do you mind going with Andrea and Shane into the woods?" He asked.

"You want me to get murdered." She said as she pointed at him.

He chuckled apologetically. "It's not that." He said honestly. "I'm starting to get a little bit suspicious as to why they run off so much… I need you to make sure they… don't get sidetracked."

"In the normal world they have a word for what you're doing." She pointed out.

Rick chuckled. "I'm a cruel monster, I know – but we can't have them to get sidetracked."

She nodded. "We're scouting?" She asked.

"Yeah." He nodded. "You and Daryl telling us about the Walker so close to home is a bit… unsettling." He shifted his weight from one leg to the other. "You don't have to worry about Shane – and if anything happens – you come straight to me." He paused. "Don't go to Daryl, we don't want to know what could happen then."

She nodded slowly and then she let out a long sigh as she went to grab her sword. She strapped it to her back after she changed out of her hoodie into a sweater. She walked out to join Andrea and Shane who didn't look to happy to see her.

"Shall we set out?" She asked them.

The trio got into the car and Shane drove slowly around the farmland in the woods just to be sure that no Walkers were around. When they deemed everything safe they went back to the camp.

That night Maddy sat beside Danni as they sat in the tent. "Hey, Baby Girl, I'm sorry your birthday wasn't special." She said gently.

Daryl was sitting across the tens fletching some arrows.

"It's fine." She said. "I understand that everything is so…" She let out a sigh. "Weird."

"Weird, yes, but I have a gift for you." She said with a gentle smile.

Maddy's eyes widened. "You do?!" She exclaimed happily.

"Mind you, it's a hand-me-down… I can't go shopping for you." Danni said as she held out the pouch.

Maddy eagerly opened it and saw dropped the necklace into her hand. Her eyes widened and Daryl actually stopped to watch curiously.

"Your mom and dad gave that to me on your first Christmas." Danni said gently. "I wanted to give something special – maybe something… you'd remember your parents by." She took the necklace and placed it around the child's neck. "Your life isn't an easy one, baby girl." She said gently. "I want you to always remember that you are surrounded by people who love you… Physically… and Spiritually."

Maddy stared down at the necklace and then she flung herself into Danni's embrace. "Thank you so much." She said with a muffled voice.

Daryl looked at Danni and then at Maddy. "I have something for you, kid." He said.

She looked at him curiously. "You do?"

He hesitated and pulled out what looked like a switch-blade.

"Daryl!" Danni exclaimed. "You don't give that to children!"

"That's why I didn't ask you." He snapped back.

She huffed and wrapped her arms around Maddy.

"We can't always be around!" Daryl snapped again. "We can't keep an eye on her all the time – even if we wanted to – it's impossible – the kid should at least know how to protect herself so she don't end up …" He fell silent.

So she didn't end up like Sophia. Danni stared down at Maddy and then she relented. "Fine." She said quietly. "As long as you teach her how to do it."

"You two more trouble than your worth." He lied. "But I'll teach the kid."

Maddy got up and took the knife, she carefully put it aside and hugged Daryl tightly, Danni could see the smile he refused to let show on his face as he hugged the child back.

"Can I go show Carl?" She asked Danni.

"Yeah." Maddy excitedly grabbed the weapon and then she ran off. Danni laughed quietly. "I think she's more excited about that knife than the necklace."

"Shows that I'm the better gifter." He said with a smirk.

"You've gone soft, Dixon." She said gently. He grunted and went back to his fletching; she moved to sit beside him as she watched him work. "Daryl, if I were to tell you something, would you freak out?" She asked quietly.

"Depends on what the hell it is you want to tell me." He said without looking up.

She wet her lips as she looked away. "I think I love you, Daryl Dixon." She said quietly and then expected him to throw the arrows down and run out in terror. He just paused his working and looked at her.

She instantly felt foolish and was about to get up but he stopped her. "You mean it?" He asked.

She started and looked at him. "Of course I mean it, why would I say it if I didn't mean it?"

He studied her face and she could have sworn she saw a smile in his expression but he didn't say anything. She couldn't help but feel dejected as she hunched her shoulders.

"I ain't good with words… or stuff like this." He said honestly. "But… yeah." He nodded to her, hoping she would get what he meant without him having to say it – it would be too awkward, and as expected her face lit up. She threw her arms around his neck as she smiled gently.

"Thank you." She said gently.

"The hell you thanking me for?" He asked as he ran a hand through her hair.

"For giving us… meaning Maddy and me… hope." She said quietly. "Thanks to you we know we're not alone."

He said nothing as she buried her face into his neck, she didn't know it but the two – and everyone else in the camp – but mostly them – had given him hope too, even if things didn't look like they'd get better – it was good to know that there was someone who needed him, even if they knew what sort of past he had – because now, that didn't matter anymore… all that mattered was what was happening now.


	26. Lost

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

GAH, this chapter was a bit hard to write... so it came out short, but I think the next chapter will be out soon, I promise the wait won't be as long for the next chapter (Which I am sorry for, btw) Anyways, we are at the season finale of Season 2, I might go in to Season 3 but obviously not right away, right now I think it's mostly going to be filler chapters on how what I think probably happened in the time-skip between 2 and 3...

Also, I wanted to thank everyone who is reviewing, favoriting, and Following - this story is turning out to be one of most popular ones! Do you have any idea what this is doing to my ego? It's making me feel good!

So please keep the love coming and let me know your thoughts on this story so far!

* * *

She excitedly let Daryl lead her away from camp, as he dragged her along he couldn't help but scowl. "Would you stop that?" He asked.

"Stop what?" She asked.

"Jumpin' around –" He started to complain but she kissed his cheek with a grin.

"I'm sorry, I'm just so excited – no one has ever made something for me before." She said as she pulled him, he yanked her back and tucked her under his arm as they continued to walk side-by-side. She put an arm around his middle as he led her to their spot, on his back he had a quiver full of arrows and the bow was in his other hand, he refused to hand it to her since he had spent so many days working on it and perfecting it.

When they got to their spot he stepped away from her and handed her the weapon, she grasped it and looked down at it, it was simple, without much decoration, but he had used some polish he found in the barn and he had wrapped some leather on the grip

She grabbed it and took an arrow from him. She had always known how to shoot because she had learned it on the job, he watched as she pulled the string back to her cheek as she took the proper stance and then she aimed at a pinecone hanging in a tree, she shot at it and the pinecone fell to the ground.

"You can shoot a bow, but you gave me heat about the crossbow?" He said.

"Bow's easier." She said with a shrug. "Plus, I had to work in a movie where they used Bows and Arrows and other weapons…" She grinned.

It was later in the day when they walked back hand-in-hand; Danni paused by the graves for a moment as she stared at them sadly. Daryl pulled her away; he refused to let her wallow in sadness. She looked away and saw the others were packing up. "Hey, what's going on?" She asked.

"We're moving in to the house." Andrea said as she began to put things in the bed of the pick-up. Rick walked over to them and he nodded to the pair.

"Daryl I need you on double duty with T-Dog." He said.

Daryl nodded and watched as Danni walked off. "Maddy!" She called out. The Child poked her head out of the tent and she grinned. "I'm already packing!"

Danni grinned and crouched in to the tent, together they vegan to put things away, Daryl walked in and began to help. "How the hell did all of my shirts get in here?" He grumbled as he watched her pull a shirt from under the mattress.

She shrugged with a grin and Maddy giggled.

They loaded the things in to Danni's truck and then Rick directed them where to park the truck, Danni walked onto the porch carrying a case and a pack, she paused when Daryl lightly touched her elbow. "Hey." He said.

She turned to look at him. "Yeah?" She asked.

"I'm goin' see what I can do." He said. "Help out."

She nodded and then juggled the things under her arm so she could pat his cheek, she smiled gently and then she turned to carry the things in to the house.

"Women are over here, men are in there." Carol said.

"Does that mean we have to sleep without Daryl now?" Maddy questioned as she carried in a sleeping back.

Carol gave Danni a look as she flushed. "Dan?"

"Nothing is going on!" She insisted. "Nothing can go on anyways – not when you have a kid around."

"What do you mean?" Maddy asked.

"Don't you worry about it baby girl." She said gently.

Maddy nodded and watched Danni as she went back outside to help carry things inside. As she walked she saw Daryl walking to the side of the house, she followed him. "Hey!"

"Can't I get some privacy?" he asked.

"Oh." She said. "S-Sorry." She then walked off.

He joined her a short while later and they leaned on the porch rail. "What's going on?" She asked him.

"We're going to take Randall further out." He said. The sound of hammers boarding up windows filled the air. She stared out to the graves as she let out a quiet sigh. "Stop looking at them." He said.

"I can't." she said quietly. "How can you not look at them?"

"Easy, I just don't." He said.

"How I wish things were as easy as you make them seem." She said with a slight grin. "I need to head off and help with the housework." She said.

"Yeah." He said as she straightened herself as she made to go; he lightly grabbed her hand before she walked off.

She smiled. "You've gone soft, Dixon." She said but stepped closer to him to press a gentle kiss on his chin.

"Oh I'm sorry if I'm interrupting something," T-Dog said. "But we've got a situation."

They scowled and looked at him. "What?" Daryl asked.

"Randall's gone."

"Where the hell is he?" Daryl asked.

"He isn't there." T-Dog said.

"What?" Rick asked as he joined them.

They ran to the shed and looked through it Danni saw that indeed the shed was empty; all that we left were bloody cuffs. Lori, Carol, and the others had ran out after they had heard angry yelling from outside. "What's going on?" Lori asked.

"Randall's missing." Glenn said as he tried to keep them in the house.

"Missing? How?" Maggie asked.

"How long has he been gone?" Hershel asked.

Danni walked outside to keep Maddy from going in to the shed, they waited for Rick to come out, and Andrea had followed him in so that she could inspect it as well. "The cuffs are still hooked... he must have slipped them." Rick said as he walked out of the shed.

"Is that possible?" Carol asked.

"It's possible if you've got nothing to lose." Andrea said with a shrug.

"The door was secure from the outside." Hershel said.

"How else would have he gotten out?" Danni asked.

They all looked up when they heard Shane yelling out. "RICK! RICK!"

"What happened?" Lori yelled out.

"He's armed! He's got my gun!" He yelled back. He looked beat up.

"Are you okay?" Carl asked.

"I'm fine... he just snuck up on me... clocked me in the face." Shane replied.

"Alright, Hershel... T-Dog, get everybody in the house. Glenn, Daryl, some with us."

"But -" Danni said.

"Get back into the house." Daryl told her. "You and the girl. You ain't going with us; now get back into the house."

"Just let him go, that was the plan, wasn't it?" Carol asked. "Just let him go?"

"The plan was to cut him loose far away from here... not on our front step with a gun." Rick said.

"Don't go out there; you all don't know what can happen!" Carol called out.

"Get everybody back into the house." Rick said. "Lock all the doors, and stay put!"

"In to the house quick!" Danni said as Carl grabbed Maddy's wrist and began to sprint back to the house, Danni looked at Daryl before she followed them closely.

They locked the door when they were inside. "Andrea," Danni said. "Do you mind keeping watch from one of the top windows?" She asked.

Andrea shook her head. "I was just thinking that…" She admitted.

"You might have a good vantage point if he gets close to the house – you can just shoot him down." Danni added.

"I like how that sounds, sure – I'll do that." She said as she grabbed a gun and then she headed upstairs. Lori was waiting for her. "I guess we should prepare the room for the night?" She questioned.

"Yeah." Lori agreed.

Together with Hershel, Maggie, Patricia, Jimmy, and Beth they began to prepare the living room and the dining room.

Hershel and Danni moved the dining room table to the side so they could make room. "Hey Maddy, I need you to go help Patricia and get us some sheets." She said.

"Okay!" The child said as she followed the older woman.

Danni smiled and then she went to move things out of the way. T-dog was staring through the boards to make sure they were safe.

Danni was pushing a box onto another, "Daryl and Glenn are back." T-Dog said.

Both Danni and Maggie looked up as he said this, they ran to the door and opened it as they saw the two, Maggie flung herself at Glenn while Danni waited for Daryl to walk in. "Did you find him?" She asked.

"Yeah, we found him… he was dead." He said.

She was about to say something but they heard a gunshot in the air. "What was that?" she asked as she ran out to the porch, Daryl was right behind her.

"Sounded like a gunshot." He said.

"A gunshot…" She said quietly. "Why would there be a gunshot, you said you found Randall dead." She said.

"He was killed." He said quietly when he made sure no one could hear.

"Killed? By who?" She questioned.

He gave her look. "That ain't a question…" He said. "He was a Walker."

"Did you find the Walker that bit him?" Hershel asked as he appeared, their conversation wasn't as quiet as he hoped.

"There wasn't a Walker." Glenn said. "He had just turned."

"What do you mean?" Lori asked.

Daryl didn't know how to explain it, he shrugged and looked at Danni. "Did Rick and Shane get back?" He asked.

"Not yet," Carol said as they walked in to the house. "But…"

"What do you all reckon that gunshot was?" Lori asked.

"I don't know." Glenn said.

Lori walked over to Daryl and she put a hand on his arm. "Do you mind going out again and finding Rick and Shane so we can know what's going on?" She asked.

"Sure." He said.

He made to walk to the door but Danni stopped him. "Guys, do you hear that?" She asked.

They all stared at each other and then they walked outside and the sound grew louder, Danni leaned on the rail only to see dozens and dozens of Walkers, there had to be hundreds of them.

"Patricia, go kill the lights." Hershel said.

"I'll go get the guns." Andrea said.

Glenn hesitated. "Can't we just hide in the house and wait for them to pass like the herd on the highway?" He asked.

"Unless there's a tunnel under the house I don't know about, herd like that could tear the house down…" Daryl said.

"Danni!" They heard Maddy call out, she ran to them with Danni's sword in her hand.

"Maddy, don't run around like that." She said.

"You'll need this." The child said.

Danni took it and strapped it to her back as she grabbed the bow Daryl had made her. "I can stand on the roof and try to take some down…"

"Carl's gone." Lori said as she suddenly appeared.

"What?" Daryl said.

"Maybe he's hiding." Glenn said.

"He was supposed to be upstairs, but when I went to look for him he wasn't there! I'm not leaving without him!" She said frantically.

"We won't leave without him." Carol promised. "We're gunna look again and we're gunna find him."

"Head on to the roof." Hershel said. He then handed her a gun, she put that on her back too and then she ran in to the house.

"Hey," Daryl said. "Get back here."

She paused as she made for the stairs. "Yes?"

"Be careful up there." He said.

She walked over to him and threw her arms around his neck. "I love you." She said gently. "If anything should happen and we get separated, I want you to make sure Maddy stays safe." She said.

"Hey, nothing is goin' happen to us." He said.

"You can never be sure – promise me you'll look after her." She stared him squarely in the eyes. "Promise me!"

"I promise." He said.

She nodded and then she climbed up the stairs again, she crept out the window and then she scaled the side of the house to get to the roof.

Once she situated herself she used the gun first, she watched as the others drove around in the cars as they tried to shoot at the Walkers, she realized there had to be at least a hundred of them.

Hershel began to shoot at those that got too close to the house and she began to join him from the roof, she circled the roof to try and see if she could get others, when she ran out of ammo she began to shoot arrows.

She heard cries of terror and quickly ran to see the source only to find a group of Walkers swooping down on someone as Lori pulled Beth away, Danni began to shoot them down.

T-Dog was driving as fast as he could; Lori, Maddy, and Beth were with him. "Go get Danni!" Lori yelled.

He nodded and drove the pick-up to the house, they had just lost Andrea they would not lose Danni as well, "JUMP!" He yelled from the window.

She made to jump but when she did she missed and Walkers swooped down upon her. She shrieked out in terror as they snatched her, her terror only increased when she heard T-Dog driving away saying that she had been lost. She pulled out a knife from her boot and she began to stab at the Walkers, from the fall she had injured her shoulder, the impact dislocated it, she had to slash and stab her way out but she was able to make it back in to the house, when she did she bolted the doors shut as she walked to the window and watched the barn burn down.

Tears prickled at her eyes as she watched it, the Walkers seemed to have lost any interest and for all she knew her people were probably miles and miles away, they probably thought she was dead... and she knew no one would turn back for her.


	27. Found

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

As promised! A new chapter out quickly! Oh, I also forgot to thank **elctroshockXx** for inspiring me to take the plot in this direction, I say inspired because I took a bit of what was suggested and that was Danni being separated from the group. So thank you!

* * *

Daryl and Carol got off the bike, the night had passed and it was now morning, the minute he got on to the street Maddy ran to him, she was sobbing.

He looked around, trying to figure out why the kid was sobbing and then it hit him. "Where's Danni?" He asked.

T-Dog hesitated and shifted.

"We're so sorry, Daryl…" Lori said silently.

"I'm goin' back." He said as he pulled Maddy off him, the girl only started to sob harder.

"You can't…" Carol said. "Danni wouldn't want you to risk your life for something that…" She broke off.

He looked around and noticed Andrea was missing too. "Andrea too?" He said. He crouched down and Maddy ran back to him, the girl's eyes were rimmed with red and her hair was frazzled, she had blood on her cheek and she had a small cut over her eyebrow. He gently cupped her face. "Hey," He told her. "Everythin' is goin' be fine." He said without sounding too sure himself. "She ain't dead – okay?" He said. "We're goin' find her."

"We can't be sure of that." Rick said silently. Maddy wrapped her arms around Daryl's neck and she cried in to his neck. "But we can't head back – if she is alive – or if Andrea is still alive – they would have left." He said.

Daryl nodded and then he looked up. "We need to get off the Highway…"

"Where do we go?" Carol asked.

"We could head to the east." T-Dog said.

"Well, soon the area will be crawling with Walkers." Rick said. "Let's move out."

"Maddy, do you want to ride with us?" Lori asked.

"She'll ride with me." Daryl said, he had made a promise to Danni and he refused to let her out of his sight.

"Are you sure?" Lori asked.

"I want to stay with Daryl." The child insisted.

"Let's head out." Rick said.

They all got in to the cars and then they continued to drive, before long they heard Rick honk the horn of his car, T-Dog had to leave the pick-up behind so that he and Lori as well as Carol were now with Rick and Carl while Hershel and Beth joined Glenn and Maggie. They all stopped and Daryl

"You out?" Daryl asked Maddy clung to his back when he got off the bike; he tucked his arms under her knees and walked over to Rick.

"We've been running on fumes." Rick replied.

"We can't stay here." Maggie said.

"And we can't all fit in one car." Glenn said.

"We'll have to make a run for some gas in the morning." Rick said as he looked over at all of them.

"Spend the night here?" Carol asked.

"I'm freezing." Carl complained.

"We'll build a fire, yeah?" Lori said.

"You go out looking for Firewood stay close; I only got so many arrows. How you doing on ammo?" Daryl said.

"Not enough." Rick said.

"Can't just sit here..." Maggie said.

"Everyone stop panicking and listen to Rick." Hershel said.

"All right, we'll set up a perimeter, in the morning we'll find gas and some supplies." Rick said.

"Glenn and I can make a run now." Maggie offered. "Try and scrounge up some gas."

"We need to stay together." Rick said. "In case something happens... and one of us gets stranded without a car."

"Rick, we're stranded now." Glenn said with an exasperated sigh.

"I know it looks bad," Rick said. "We've all been through hell and worse, but at least we found each other. I wasn't sure... I really wasn't... But we did... we're together." He said looking at the group. "We keep it that way. We'll find shelter somewhere... there's got to be a place."

"Rick... look around..." Glenn said. "There's Walkers everywhere, they're migrating or something."

"There's gotta be a place." Rick said. "Not just where we hole up, but that we fortify. Hunker down, pull ourselves together. Build a life for each other." He looked at them. "I know it's out there... we just have to find it."

"Even if we do find a place." Maggie said. "And we think it's safe... We can never be sure. For how long?" She paused. "Look what happened to the farm. We fooled ourselves into thinking that was safe."

"We won't make that mistake again." Hershel said.

"We'll make camp tonight... over there..." He pointed to what looked like some ruins, it was probably an old farm or a dam or something of the like. "Get on the road at the break of day..."

"Does this feel right to you?" Carol asked Daryl.

"What if Walkers come through, or another group like Randall's?" Beth asked Rick.

"You know I found Randall, right?" Daryl said. "He turned... but he wasn't bit."

Rick looked at them.

"How is that possible?" Beth asked Rick.

"Rick, what the hell happened?" Lori asked.

"Shane killed Randall." Daryl said. "Just like he always wanted to."

"... And then the herd got him?" Lori asked her husband.

Rick was silent as he looked at them. He then spoke. "We're all infected."

They all looked at each other, and then looked at him, "What?" Daryl asked.

"At the C.D.C, Jenner told me... Whatever it is, we all carry it." He said.

There was a pause, everyone was disgusted.

"And you never said anything?" Carol asked.

"Would it have made a difference?" Rick asked.

"You knew this whole time?" Glenn asked.

"How could I have known for sure?" He asked. "You saw how crazy that mo-"

"That is not your call!" Glenn said. "Okay, when I found out about the Walkers in the barn, I told for the good of everyone."

"Well I thought it best that people didn't know." Rick said.

"Does that mean…" Maddy asked silently. "That if we die… we turn into a Walker?"

He didn't know what to tell her. "Hey, how about you run off with Hershel and help him gather firewood?" he asked.

She nodded silently and jumped down before she ran off to the old man who grabbed her hand and led her off.

That night they all sat around a fire, Maddy was curled up in Daryl's arms as he sat beside Carol. "We're not safe with him." Carol said silently. "Especially after keeping something like that from us!" She looked over her shoulder. "Why do you need him? He's just gunna pull you down?"

Daryl looked down at the child in his arms, she was already asleep. "No, Rick's done all right by me." Daryl said quietly.

"You're his henchman." She said. "And I'm a burden. You deserve better."

"What do you want?" Daryl asked her.

"A man of honor." She said, not sounding very sure.

"Rick has honor." He said as he threw another stick in and then he set Maddy down so he could get up, she curled up closer to Carol who covered her with a blanket.

They all heard a noise. "What was that?" Carol asked.

"Could be anything... could be a raccoon... could be a possum..." Daryl replied.

"Walker?" Glenn offered.

"We need to leave." Carol said. "I mean, what are we waiting for?"

"Which way?" Glenn asked.

"It came from over there." Maggie said pointing her gun down the way they had come down from earlier.

"The last thing we need is for everyone to be running off in the dark." Rick said. "We don't have the vehicles, no one's travelling on foot, and one of us can't move like the rest of us." He said.

"Don't panic." Hershel said.

"I'm not." Carol said. "I'm not sitting here waiting for another herd to blow through. We need to move now."

"No one is going anywhere." Rick said.

"Do something." Carol said to him.

"I am doing something!" He said. "I'm keeping this group together, alive! I've been doing that all along, no matter what. I didn't ask for this! I killed my best friend for you people for Christ's sake!" He hissed at them.

They were all stunned at this confession.

"You saw what he was like, how he pushed me... how he compromised us... how he threatened us..." He said and then he frowned. "He staged the whole Randall thing then he lead me out to put a bullet in my back. He gave me no choice! He was my friend, but he came after me." Carl was sobbing now in his mother's arms. "My hands are clean."

Everyone was silent; the only sound filling the air was the cracking of the fire.

"Maybe you people are better off without me. Go ahead, I say there's a place for us... but maybe... that's just a pipe dream... maybe I'm fooling myself again." He pointed to the woods. "Why don't you go find out yourself? Send me a postcard! Come on, there's the door – let's see if you can do better." He seemed to be waiting for them to speak, and it was obvious he was fuming, Maddy had woken up when she heard Carl sobbing and Lori put an arm around her. "No takers? Fine, but let's just get one thing straight... if you're staying... this ain't a democracy anymore..."

They all silently looked at each other, not really knowing what to say about the change in Rick, he was not the kind-hearted man he used to be, no… that man was long gone now.

* * *

She let out a groan as she sat up, her shoulder was killing her; she got up groggily and went in to the bathroom as she swallowed some painkillers. She had to reset her shoulder after her tumble and now she was hiding in the house, waiting for the Walkers to move on before she could head out and try to locate the others.

She could hear a Walker slamming on the side of the house but she ignored it as she moved in to the kitchen, she grabbed an apple and then she began to look around the house.

She grabbed a lot of Hershel's medical supplies and she shoved it in to a pack, she then walked in to Patricia's room and pulled on one of her sweaters. Once she was sure she could do it she grabbed her bow, remaining arrows, and then she climbed back to her perch from the previous night.

The first thing she did was shoot down as many Walkers as she could, they had mostly moved on, but some still lingered behind.

When her arrows ran out she drew her sword and walked out of the house, slashing away at them without even pausing, before long the area was clear, the smell of burning wood and corpses still filled the air, she went to the R.V. and killed all the Walkers within before she found the remains of Jimmy's body, she stabbed him through the head and then began to drag him out. Once she had placed him by the graves of Dale, Annette, Shawn, and Sophia she went to find Patricia's body, she found it amongst a pile of Walkers, she dragged her to the graves and then she went to the shed to get a shovel.

Despite her weariness she was able to dig two graves that were not very deep, and she put them within them, when she covered them up she began the tedious task of dragging walkers to the barn, a fire still burned and she would dispose of the bodies if she could.

As she worked she thought about her people, if they had gotten safe – if they were still alive… if Daryl was taking care of Maddy. She knew he would – he had promised her.

By midday she had returned to the house, her task was not yet complete, she removed the gardening gloves she had donned and went to make herself a sandwich, when she paused in the hallway she caught glimpse of a mirror, she peered in to it and saw she had black on her face, and splatters of blood and grim, she shook her head and then she walked in to the kitchen where she made herself some lunch.

Once she ate she went back outside and continued with the task, by sundown all of the Walkers had been taken care of. She decided she would head out the following morning after her people, they had left her truck and while she knew she was low on gas – she could siphon when she hit the highway. She headed to the bathroom to wash herself from the grime. She had grabbed more clothes from Patricia's room as well as from her things, a pair of sweats and another sweater, as well as a pair of scissors.

The last time she cut her hair, it was to get it out of the way, this time was no different, she turned the shower on and flinched when she stepped in to the jet of frigid water, she watched the grime and blood wash off and turn the water black before it spiraled into the drain, as she stood under the jet of water, her lips turning blue as she acclimated to it she snipped at her hair, cutting it the shortest she ever had. With is short it would be harder to identity her as a woman, and she knew that would be safer for her.

Once she was done, and she had gotten dressed she began to prepare for her departure. She checked her fuel, and her supplies, when she was sure everything was ready she headed back in to the house.

That night she tried to sleep, but sleep simply wouldn't come, she was now a whole day behind the rest of her group, they could have gone anywhere – a lot happened in under one day. She decided she would leave first thing in the morning, she would have to track them down – who knew how long that would take.

The following morning at Dawn she grabbed whatever she had set aside the previous night and then she walked out of the house, her sword strapped to her back and Arrows she had retrieved from the Walkers she had shot down were all accounted for in her quiver. She put her weapons in the passenger seat as she shut the door and turned the key in the ignition, when the truck hummed to life she drove off without as much as sparing a glance to the house or the remains of the barn that used to hold Walkers once upon a time.

It did not take her very long to get to the highway, she stopped when she saw the blue pickup, she let out a sigh and then she got out and grabbed her gear from the back so she could siphon gas.

As she began to work she heard something click behind her. "Step away from the car." A male voice said. She could feel the barrel of a gun pressed to her back, slowly she lifted her hands and she stepped out of the way. When she turned she saw a group of grimy looking men.

"I just want to get to my family." She said slowly. "And I need gas."

"What's a lady like you doing out here?" The man said.

"Just passing through." She lied. "On my way to Nebraska."

"Really? We came from there not too long ago." He said. "We're looking for one of our guys, reckon you know him? Randall?"

She inwardly cursed; these guys were the guys Randall spoke of? She shrugged. "Never seen him before." She dropped her hands. "Look, I best get going." She said. "It was nice meeting you all." She began to walk away but the gun was pressed to her back again.

"I think you're lying." The man said.

"Why would I be lying?" She asked. She turned again and saw the group wasn't as bit as Randall told them, or some of them had died not too long ago. Either way she was now looking at five men. She wondered what her chances were of getting out alive.

They were probably slim, but she had to take a chance – even if it meant killing someone that was alive. She moved to the jug she was filling. "What are you doing?!" The man yelled.

"I don't want to waste perfectly good gas." She replied. "Calm down."

He watched warily, the truck was not that far from them, she removed the things and then she grabbed the plastic container, without any hesitation she swung it at the first guy and then ducked as they opened fire on her.

"Mason!" Someone yelled.

So his name was Mason, it seemed like she had gotten him pretty good, she made a beeline for her truck and let out a cry when a bullet lodged in to her arm. She clutched at the wound and grabbed her sword as one of the guys ran at her, the moment he was close enough she brought her sword down on his head, he fell to the ground with a crunch before she dodged another bullet, one hit her sword with a loud 'Plink' she ran to hide from them but her escape didn't last very long because a man appeared behind her and grabbed her by her hair and smashed her head into a car, the glass shattered and she felt dizzy for a moment, when she regained her composure she pulled a knife out from her belt and she stuck the blade into his gut, he stumbled back with a gasp and was about to back away but the blade met his face.

She ducked behind a large truck, she could hear them – there were three more, but she could hear others join them; she quickly tore from her undershirt to tie a tourniquet on her arm so she wouldn't bleed too much. She gripped her knife tightly, she should have grabbed her bow and arrows but she hadn't been thinking very smartly, her forehead was bleeding profusely, she lifted her sleeve to it and saw crimson on it, she gently prodded the injury to make sure she didn't have a fracture there, when she found she was fine she gripped her weapons tightly and then she saw that the guy she had just killed had a gun, she grabbed it and then she slowly walked out, when they saw her they shot at her, she had to quickly duck again.

She cursed at the situation she had gotten herself in, she ran as fast as she could to duck behind a car and then she lifted the gun and shot through the windows, the glass shattered but one of the men fell with a shot to his cheek. She clutched her arm as she hid behind the car.

A short distance away Daryl was carrying Maddy on his back; they were to momentarily paused in a house they had just cleaned out from Walkers.

"Did you hear that?" Carol said suddenly.

"It sounds like… a firefight." Lori replied.

"A firefight…" Glenn said.

Daryl almost dropped Maddy. "It's from the highway." He said.

"What?" Rick said.

"That has to be Dan." Daryl said. "Rick, I gotta go."

"No." Rick said.

Daryl angrily let Maddy down and watched as she ran off to Carol. "You can't –"

"I told you this ain't a democracy –"

He pointed outside. "That might be Danni!" He said angrily.

"And it might not be!" Rick yelled back.

Daryl had to control his temper; he actually liked Rick and didn't want to get on his bad side. "Rick, just let me go – I'll be back before anyone's the wiser." He hated the desperation in his voice, a tone he couldn't fight – he knew Maddy needed Danni more than anyone – even he couldn't be the parent that child needed.

Rick relented and nodded. "Fine, but you go alone."

Daryl nodded and ran out.

Danni could see that it seemed like these guys kept on coming, so far she had taken down at least five of them, but her body was aching all over, she had another gun-shot wound in her thigh, and her wrist hurt a lot, and she couldn't see out of her right eye because there was blood in it.

"WALKERS!" One of the guys yelled.

She let out a curse as she forced herself to get up and run to her truck, there were a few Walkers stumbling, but they were not a herd, maybe five or six, and they were taken down quickly by the men, she made to run to her truck but was grabbed from behind by one of the enemies, she began to yell as she tried to get away from him, he looked furious and was clawing at her as if he was trying to get something off her, this didn't last very long before an arrow flew in to his face. She fell back when he did and she frantically turned around to see her savior.

The familiar hum of a bike told her who it was.

She sat against a truck when everything fell silent again, she looked up when Daryl ran to her and fell to his knees facing her, he grabbed her head and she winced. But then she smiled gently. "Daryl."

With the heel of his hand he wiped the blood out of her eye, she blinked a couple of times and then she grabbed his hands. "You – guys…"

"We didn't get very far." He said. "Ran out of gas after we left the farm –"

She nodded and let out a sigh as he pulled her in to a hug. She grabbed on to his vest and pressed her face into his shoulder. "I was afraid… you guys were long gone."

He shook his head and put a hand on the back of her head. "What the hell happened to your hair?"

She let out a quiet laugh. "I cut it to get it out of the way." She looked up at him and frowned. "We should take their guns, my truck has gas in it – and I've back provisions and things I know you guys didn't have time to grab."

He nodded and carried her to the truck, he then left her, she shifted as she tried not to think of her injuries, she tried to not pass out. He loaded the bike in to the back with the guns and then he got in to the passenger seat.

"How far?" She asked him.

"Not very far." He replied.

She nodded. "Good…" She said. Her body felt heavy; slowly she slipped in to darkness.


	28. Moving On

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

* * *

When she woke up she was unusually comfortable, she was in a bed and in an unfamiliar room. She let out a groan as she sat up and winced when she leaned on her wrist. "Ow…" She said.

"Take it easy." Someone said making her jump, she turned and saw Daryl sitting on a chair; his feet were crossed and placed on the bed. She put her hands in her lap as she looked around the room; it was big, with a wardrobe pushed up against a wall, and a desk against another.

"Where are we?" She asked.

"Some house we came across." He said.

She remembered her wounds and began to inspect them.

"We cauterized them." He said. "To keep them from getting infected… what the hell happened?" He asked.

"I was supposed to jump in to the back of the truck…" She replied. "But I missed… and then I was overwhelmed… somehow I was able to get out of the mess and I hid in the house… the following morning I cleared out the Walkers… and buried the dead… and then The morning after that I set out to find you all – I knew I wouldn't be able to… but I had to try… and here I am… I met those guys when I was trying to siphon some gas; they were a part of Randall's group." She sat against the headboard and then she let out a sigh. "How did you find me?" She asked.

"Heard the guns from here…" He said. "Figured it had to be you… Rick almost didn't let me leave… when I was finally able to get out – I found you with a bunch of bodies that didn't look like no Walkers…" He crossed his arms over his chest. "You passed out on the drive back… woke up a day later."

She ran a hand through her hair as she let out a sigh. "I've been out a whole day?"

"Maddy's been worried as hell you wouldn't wake up." He said.

"Where is she?" She asked.

"Sleeping in a room with Carol." He said. "We told her to let you rest."

She pressed her palms to her eyes and she let out a sigh. "Thank you so much." She said.

He grunted in response, she looked at him and then she patted the bed beside her. He kicked off his boots and settled beside her, she looked at him and frowned. "You look like you haven't slept in a while." She said.

He didn't say anything; instead he pulled her against his side and put his arm around her. She let out a quiet sigh. "Thank you for taking care of Maddy." She said.

When she found that he didn't grunt she looked up and found that he was asleep. She smiled gently and gently she got up and covered him, she pressed a kiss to his forehead and then she walked out of the room.

It was still very early in the morning, she could tell that almost everyone was asleep but she could hear shuffling below, she walked down the stairs and found Rick pacing the living room, he looked up. "Dan." He said.

She grinned and leaned against the wall. "Hello."

She joined him and they both sat down, she could see T-Dog keeping watch on the porch as she looked at Rick she noticed he too looked haggard. "What happened to you?" He asked.

She pulled a throw about her shoulders; it had been resting on the chair she sat on. "I was overwhelmed." She said simply and then she told him what she had told Daryl. She trailed off when she was done. "Patricia… Jimmy… they were barely recognizable when I buried them…" She said.

"What about Andrea?" He asked.

"Andrea? Isn't she with you?" She asked.

He sat up. "You didn't bury her?"

"She isn't even dead to start with, she was gone – so is the bag of guns." She added.

Rick let out a sigh. "Then she probably has them."

She nodded. "Because it's impossible for anyone to be able to get onto the farm…" She said.

"Danni!" A happy voice cried out.

She looked up and saw Maddy running down the stairs and right in to Danni who let out a small laugh. "Good morning Baby Girl." She said.

"I thought you died." Maddy said into her stomach.

"I thought I did too." She said with a grin, she kissed the top of Maddy's head gently. Carol was the next to come down the stairs.

"Danni!" She said happily.

Danni smiled as she got up.

T-Dog was still on the porch when she went out to join him, "Hey." She said.

"Hey, how are you feeling?" He asked.

"Like an elephant sat on me." She replied with a grin.

"Look, I'm really sorry I didn't circle back – we didn't do anything –" He started.

"Hey," She said as she cut him off. "It's fine – if you had circled back you would have risked Lori, Beth, and Maddy." She leaned on the wall.

"I wanted to, you know." He said.

"I know, I would have hated you if I did." She replied.

"Man, it felt like Dixon hated me for not going back." He added.

She smiled gently. "He doesn't hate you." She said as she looked at him. "I had given him a burden that was probably too much for him to shoulder."

"And that is?" He asked.

"Maddy." She replied.

T-Dog fell silent.

She patted his arm and got up as she walked back in to the house. The others greeted her happily, relieved that she was alive; Glenn's hug was one of relief that one of their people had made it.

"Where's Daryl?" Hershel asked as he patted her shoulder.

"He fell asleep." She replied.

"He has every right to – he was up all night." He said.

"That's true." Maggie said as she and Lori began to prepare a pathetic breakfast.

"But maybe you should go wake him." Rick said. "We need to plan a course of action."

She nodded and patted the top of Maddy's head before she went upstairs. She walked in to the room and found that he was still asleep. She was loathe to wake him but she had to so she crept over to sit beside his legs, the movement made him jolt awake and grab for something at his hip. He paused, looked around, and then fell back against the pillows; his arm went over his eyes as he let out a sigh.

"Everything okay?" She asked as she put her hand on his knee.

"You're asking me that?" He grumbled.

"Yes I'm asking you that, Hershel told me you were up all night." She said.

"Not like that's somethin' new." He retorted.

"Hey," She said. "Don't do this. Talk to me."

He let his hand slide to his stomach as he studied her, his other hand cupped her cheek before he ran his fingers through her short hair, making it stick out in every direction. His hand closed as he ran his knuckles down her cheek and neck. She realized he was avoiding the question so she grabbed his hand gently. "If you don't want to tell me just say it." She said.

"Good to know you get me." He said with a smirk.

She shook her head and grinned. She then remembered why she had gone up there in the first place. "Oh, right – Rick told me to wake you up – something about planning our next course of action."

He sat up and ran his hands over his face. "How long was I out?" He asked.

"Hour, maybe two… everyone else woke up not too long ago." She replied. He put his feet on the cold hardwood floor before he reached under the bed to grab his boots. She watched as he shoved his feet in to them before he sat up and let out a sigh. "Do you feel like telling me what you dreamt that was so disturbing?" She asked.

He put an arm around her shoulders as she wrapped hers around his middle. "Not a chance." He said against her forehead.

She nodded and got up, he followed and together they walked out of the door. She grasped his hand in hers and laced her fingers through his as they joined the others. Maddy, Carl, and Beth sat in the living room with Lori and Carol while Daryl, Hershel, Rick, Glenn, T-Dog, Maggie, and Danni stood around a table with a map of the area. Danni suddenly started. "I can't believe I've forgotten!" She said.

They looked up at her. "What is it?" Rick asked.

"I have a friend in the area, Norah." Danni said. "But last I heard she was on vacation in Italy… She's probably still there – actually."

"Her house near by?" Daryl asked her.

"Yeah, about a twenty minute walk from here – it's even quicker by car." She said.

Rick paused. "Is Norah that blue-haired friend of yours from back in the day?" He asked.

"You knew her?" Daryl questioned.

"It's a long story," Danni said. "But yes, I believe her hair is Purple now." She grinned.

Rick nodded. "Then we go there." He said. "We leave at noon."

"Then we should pack up." Maggie said.

Rick nodded and they dispersed. "How does Rick know you?" Daryl asked.

"Didn't I tell you?" She asked. "Maybe at the CDC?"

He paused, stared at her for a moment. "Oh, right…" He said. She chuckled and shook her head. By noon, as planned, they were ready to set out, Maddy went in to the truck with Danni, Carl decided to join them as did Beth, they had put everything in Danni's truck because out of them all it was the biggest.

"Dan, you lead us." Rick said.

He then handed her one of the guns she had taken off the guys who had tried to kill her, she shoved it into the back of her pants as she nodded. "Gotcha." She grinned as Daryl patted her cheek before he went to his bike, she got in to the truck and got it started, within moments she was leading them through back-ways, and easily plowing down whatever Walker stumbled in front of her. Several minutes later she stopped at the house, it was a one-story house that had a decent back-yard, she killed the engine and then she got down, she could hear the others behind her as she began to look for the key, Norah had always kept it under a rock.

"Dan." Daryl's voice said.

She looked over and saw him push the door open, she frowned and pulled out the gun, he grabbed his and adjusted the crossbow so it was on his back. Together they crept in, she motioned for him to follow her as she led him around the house, the final room they found was locked, they could hear groaning and scrabbling behind it. "What the hell…?" Danni said quietly. "Give me your knife."

He handed it to her and she put it between the door and the frame, with a bit of jiggling the door opened to reveal a walked with matted purple hair. "Norah…" She said.

"I got this…" Daryl said.

"No." She said as she grabbed her knife, she stabbed the Walker through the face without any hesitation. "Keep them busy while I get rid of her." She said.

He nodded, patted her shoulder, and then he left her. She hoisted the body up and then she dragged it out of the house, in the backyard there was a barbeque pit she used to toss the body in to, once she had she lit a match and threw it in. She watched as the fire blazed on the corpse before she left it and went to let the others in.

Danni walked out of the house and the others looked at her. "Coast is clear." She said.

They let out relieved sighs as they carried their things in, Rick pointed to T-Dog and Hershel. "Have the cars in the driveway and in front of the door in case we need an escape." He instructed.

Danni went back in to the house and out to the garden to see how the corpse was doing, it was now burned down to ashes and the fire was out. Once everyone had settled in and had a meager dinner Danni and Daryl took watch on the front door.

She sat beside him, huddled in a sweatshirt she had found that belonged to Norah. "I don't like what this world is doing to us…" She said gently.

He looked at her questioningly.

"I put her down…" She said. "And I don't even feel a shred of remorse…" She stared down at her hands. "I killed that man – all those men –"

"Who would have killed you." He said a bit harshly.

"But still –" She said slowly. "This world… it's taking us on a slow and agonizing spiral as we descend into insanity, we kill to survive – the living and the dead… Daryl – what is happening to us?" She stared out as a few Walkers stumbled about without noticing them.

"It's survival." He said simply.

"If you call that survival…" She said a bit bitterly. "So far I have had to put down my best friends – Barney – he was still alive when I took him – I –" She broke off.

"Hey," Daryl said as he grabbed her shoulders. "You do what you have to do to survive –"

"Even if it means killing everyone I love?" She asked.

He stared at her. "Your priority is that little girl." He said.

"What if…" She broke off.

He gave her a look. "What?"

"What if it's you that I have to take down?" She asked shakily.

He stared down at her. "Then you do it." He said. "But I ain't goin' down too easily by some freak."

She nodded slowly as she hugged him tightly; she tucked her face into his shoulder as he put a hand in her hair. She didn't want the world to make her go cold; she didn't want to forget what it was like to value human life – or what it felt like to be alive.


	29. That Sort of Calm

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

29th chapter! Goodness me oh my! I seriously want to thank every one reading this, as of this moment as I type this down this story 78 reviews, 128 followers, 73 favorite, and 1 c2!

The amount of followers, Favorites and reviews are simply amazing, (Aside from the reviews) I have never had a story get so... idk... popular? And it's all thanks to every single one of you! Thank you all so much!

* * *

The days seemed to go by slowly as they went from one house to another without much of a plan; Rick wanted to wait for it to grow warm again before they headed to the Coast.

Danni growled angrily as she and Daryl pushed the truck, it had gotten stuck and now they were pushing while Glenn helped them try to get out, the pair were slowly being covered in mud, they both fell forward when the truck rolled free.

"Are you guys okay?" Carol asked from the porch of the house they had just moved to.

"Yeah!" They called back as they got up. She looked up at Daryl and laughed when she saw how much mud he had on his face.

"I'm going to kill him." He said.

She smiled and they stood in the rain for a bit as they let it wash away the mud before they trudged in to the house, Glenn ran off to hide the minute they appeared. "They better have hot water." He grunted.

Maddy giggled as she watched them walk off.

It had almost been a month since Norah's house, it had been house-to-house ever since, the longest they ever stayed in one house was a week, and the shortest was three hours.

Danni was exhausted, the previous night she and Daryl had stayed up to keep watch with Rick and Glenn, today T-Dog, Hershel, Maggie, and Carol would be keeping watch. Her shower had been icy, of course, her whole body shivered as she toweled her hair. She wore two sweaters and some sweatpants. She tossed the towel aside as she studied the room, they had been allowed to sleep and she was exhausted, the past week she had developed some kind of flu and it was taking everything for her to recover.

She tossed herself onto the bed before she slithered under the covers, they were cold and musty but she hoped they would warm up soon. She shivered until her teeth chattered, however it didn't take too long before a pair of arms wrapped around her, she let Daryl pull her into his embrace as she continued to shiver. "Maddy's with Lori." He informed her.

"Thanks." She whispered as she tried to draw from his warmth.

His hand found hers and she silently contemplated her relationship with him, since the farm was burned – they had come together in a way none would have ever believed – not even herself. In the past month alone he had become a different man, though sometimes he would revert to his old ways, and sometimes he was difficult to get to open up – but he wasn't ashamed to let Danni know when he needed her. Sometimes he would wake up at night with some nightmare he wouldn't tell her about and it drove her mad, but she supposed not all things had to be shared.

"You warm yet?" He questioned into her ear.

"Mm," She thought quietly. "I'm warm." She smiled gently.

He nodded and silence enveloped them. He had grown to be very protective of Maddy, too, the other day she had heard him scare off Carl after he had asked Maddy to play cards with him. She chuckled silently at the memory. "What?" He asked.

"I love you." She said with a grin.

"Love you too…" He grumbled awkwardly into her hair.

She smiled gently and turned so she could look up at him, the door opened and then shut again as Maddy ran into the bed, Danni chuckled as she turned her back to Daryl again and she wrapped her arms around Maddy. Daryl in turn wrapped his arms around both of them. Maddy decided to speak up when they were both pulled into his embrace. "Do you love us a lot?" She asked him.

He chuckled and it made Danni flush as she hid her face in Maddy's hair. "Probably more than I should." He said.

This seemed to make Maddy very happy. Danni pressed a kiss to Daryl's arm as she pulled Maddy closer to her. It felt good to be there between the people she cared about most in a world where things like that were rare, when so many relationships were falling apart hers was only growing and blooming and she hoped that didn't fade away because the warmth she found in Daryl was something she desperately needed in order to keep Maddy happy and safe.

She listened to the rain pouring outside and it brought her a strange sense of calm, Maddy had fallen asleep, when she glanced back at Daryl she saw he was still awake. "What are you thinking about?" She asked quietly.

"'Bout Merle." He said in a quiet whisper. "If he's alive or not."

"Do you want him to be alive?" She asked hesitantly.

He was silent for a long moment before he spoke up. "I don't know." He said.

She nodded as she looked back down at Maddy. "What do you think will happen if he is – and if you find him? What will you do then?" She asked, suddenly afraid he would leave them.

"Dunno…" He said quietly.

Silence enveloped them and nothing was said for the rest of the night. The following morning they were up and about, Danni was helping Lori empty the pantry of the house. "I can't wait for the day we get a real meal." Danni said.

"A turkey…" Lori said with a dreamy sigh.

"Gravy and Mashed potatoes… maybe some fresh orange juice… or a glass of wine…" Danni added. She paused. "Or several bottles of wine…"

Lori chuckled and shook her head. Maddy was rummaging through the cabinets as well. "Where's Daryl?" She asked, the three were rarely ever seen without each other now. In a way it made Lori just a bit envious that her marriage was falling apart but her friend had the look of someone who was comfortably and happily in love… and it wasn't just Danni, it was Maggie and Glenn too.

"He's on watch today." She informed her. "I guess we're moving out so he and Rick are planning our next course of action…" Danni looked at Lori. "Lori? Is everything okay?"

She shook her head. "I'm fine." She said.

Danni glanced down at Lori's stomach and saw that she was beginning to show, Carol was learning from Hershel how to help deliver the baby when the time came, Danny was helping them as well knowing Andrea probably would have if she had been there. She frowned and looked back into the pantry. "I guess I could make some Spaghetti…" Danni said. "We have the ingredients for a basic one… no meat – no mushrooms – just tomato sauce and noodles."

"Better than nothing." Lori said. "Plus, it would be good to have an actual meal for once."

Danni grinned. "Yeah." She agreed. They fell silent as they listened to the rain falling outside. "Does it ever snow in Georgia?"

"It has once – but that was a very long time ago." Lori replied. "I'm not feeling so well…" She hesitated.

"Go get some rest." Danni said. "You've been on your feet all day."

Lori nodded and walked off. Maddy sat on the counter and she absently chewed on a carrot she had found in the fridge as Danni began to prepare dinner.

Before long Carl and Beth were both in the kitchen with Maddy and Danni and the woman bossed them around, the trio simply grinned and obeyed her every command. "You guys go set the table." She said as she shoed them off. "Carl, go see who's awake or in the house and ask them to move the tables together."

In the house they were at there was a dining table, and a smaller table that was placed in the kitchen. Carl nodded and then he ran off as Beth and Maddy began to collect plates.

As she stirred the sauce she felt hands on her hips. "What the hell is all of this?" Daryl asked.

She turned to look up at him. "Dinner." She said simply. "I saw the things – and decided we deserve a good dinner, who knows when our next meal will be." She paused as he brushed his lips against her forehead. She smiled gently and then she pushed him away. "Go help Carl."

"Don't tell me what to do woman." He said, though she knew he didn't mean it.

"Thought you liked it when a woman acts tough." She said absently as Maggie walked in. Daryl coughed awkwardly before he walked off.

Maggie smirked. "Really now?" She said.

"You shouldn't be one to smirk." Danni said.

Maggie nodded in agreement. "True." She said. She left when Daryl walked in again. This time Danni was preparing the noodles.

"What's the plan?" She asked as he hoisted himself to sit on the counter-top.

"Rick's thinkin' 'bout headin' closer to the city." He replied.

"What do you think?" She asked as she left the sauce to cool, she walked over to him and leaned on his legs.

He shrugged. "Dunno, Rick thinks it, so it's gotta be right…" He didn't sound so sure.

"You're allowed to disagree, you know." She said gently. "You're allowed to have your own opinion…" He stared at her for a while as she smiled up at him before she stood straight. "Come on, I need your help." She teased.

"Liar." He said.

She kissed his cheek as she laughed. "Darling, I love to use you – personal heater, and now carrier. C'mon." She grinned.

Rick grinned at Danni. "You put this together?" He asked her.

"We've all been working so hard, I think we deserve it." She smiled as she put the pot down, she then sat down when Daryl did and she grabbed his hand gently, Maddy happily sat on her other side. After dinner Danni, T-Dog, and Maggie had night watch.

Danni sat on the roof of the house, she was wrapped in a Sherpa-lined coat they had found in the house, her boots were laced tightly over her pants; her jeans were a bit stiff because she was wearing sweatpants under them. Her breath puffed out in small white clouds as she breathed, it was a cold night, and secretly she wondered what date it was.

She heard shuffling from the woods, T-Dog was on the other side of the house and Maggie was keeping an eye out on the porch. Danni got up and snatched some binoculars Rick had handed to her, she placed them onto her eyes and saw three walkers absently stumbling, she put the binoculars down and then she set an arrow in her bow, she slowly pulled the string back until it was 'til her cheek, and then she released it, a thud told her a walker had fallen. She set another arrow and shot it at the second one, when the third one was down she peered through the binoculars to see if the area was clear and indeed it was.

She sat back down again and kept an alert eye out.

They neighborhood they were in was a nice one, with houses that had red roofs, and white picket fences. She crossed her legs and then she let out a long sigh, silently she waited for her time to be up. As expected, at around four in the morning Glenn came to relieve her, she thanked him before she went back into the house.

She walked into the room as she shed her coat, she removed her boots one by one before she climbed into bed beside Daryl; he stirred and lifted his arm so he could accommodate her. She tried to fall asleep but the question of what date it was kept her awake. She fidgeted a bit. "Would you stop that?" He grumbled.

"Sorry." She whispered as she sat up and she leaned over him to get to her bag, he groaned and turned the light on as she looked for the calendar, she leaned across him and smiled gently as he ran his fingers through her short hair. She calculated the time as best as she could. "It's December." She said quietly.

"So?" He said.

She looked at him. "So? Christmas."

"Again… so?" He asked.

She let out a sigh as she crossed her arms on his chest as she put her chin on them so she could stare up into his face. "Maddy's first Christmas without her mom and dad." She said quietly.

He silently wrapped his arms around her. "Sorry about that." He said.

She let out a heavy sigh. "Don't worry about it." She said. "We should get some sleep…"

The following morning they were all ready to leave, the cars were packed up, and Danni had half of everything in the back of her truck, the other half was in the other SUV. Daryl was going to lead their pathetic caravan on his bike, he walked out of the house and he walked over to Danny who fastened a scarf around his neck before she kissed his cheek, he hugged her briefly and ruffled Maddy's hair before he went to his bike.

The group was silent, it was that pained calm they now had whenever they left a place they had recently come to. Rick walked up to Danni, "Flank us Dan." He said.

She nodded and she put a hat on and then she wrapped a scarf around her neck. "Give me T-Dog in case we need to have a shooter." She said as she nodded to the aforementioned man.

"You got it." Rick said as he patted her shoulder.

She hesitated. "Rick," She said. "A moment?"

He hesitated but nodded and followed her. T-Dog walked over to them and stood by the door so he could chat with Maddy who was half asleep.

They walked away from the group back towards the house so she could speak to him privately. "Rick, I know it's not my place – but since we're all we've all got, I'm going to make it my job to butt in." She said as she looked up at him. "Your wife is miserable."

"How do you reckon?" He said a bit stonily.

"Rick, she's your wife – she is pregnant with your child –"

"We're not even sure about that –"

"Rick." She said as she stared up at him. "Don't – don't do that. If Lori is unhappy it could affect the life of the baby – and of Lori… She needs you to be her husband."

He ran his hand over his face. "Dan, I'll figure this out later." He said.

"How do you think Dale would have dealt with this?" She said as he walked away. "Can you imagine the look, Rick? Because I can."

"Dan," Rick said. "I'm begging you, please – let it go. Some things – just can't be fixed –"

"Do you still love her?" She asked.

He looked at her again. "I don't even know anymore…"

She stood there in utter shock as he walked away from her. Was it even possible to fall out of love with someone after you'd been through so much together?

He'd been presumed dead – together they went through so much – who did she blame? Lori? Or Rick? She let out a heavy sigh as she walked back to the truck, Daryl was watching her, she looked at him and shrugged, he discreetly winked and then he turned to sit on his bike.

She got into the truck and started the car, Rick nodded to her as everyone got into the cars and they set out. T-Dog sat in the passenger's seat and Maddy, Carl, and Beth all sat in the back. T-Dog smirked. "You're starting to look pretty serious – you and Dixon." He said.

She chuckled. "Brother, in these times – everything is serious." She glanced at him. "We should find you a girl." She teased.

"Who? I don't know if you noticed, all the females of our group are either too young, or taken." He teased.

"I'm sure we'll come across some sort of drifter sooner or later." She teased.

He couldn't help but laugh. "You're impossible."

She grinned cheekily. "Anyways, know where we're headed?" She asked.

"Rick is thinking about going into the city." T-Dog said.

She hit the brake at this causing them all to jolt. "What?" She said a bit loudly.

"Dan, calm down." T-Dog said.

"Why are we going into the city?!" She said.

"Rick thinks the Walkers would have moved out from there." He said. "He's probably right."

She continued to drive as she silently contemplated this. Rick probably was right, herds had passed them as of late, all moving away from the city, Atlanta was probably empty now, if they found refuge in a high building they could probably stay there all winter. She silently followed the rest of the cars as T-Dog kept an eye out for danger.

It had begun to rain by the time they were in the city, as expected the city was empty but for a few stray Walkers here or there that seemed to notice them and they followed them desperately.

"Kids, I want you to buckle up." Danni said. "And get down."

"What? Why?" Carl asked.

"I'm going to run over those Walkers." She said simply.

They quickly obeyed and they all braced themselves as Danni slammed her foot down on the gas pedal, the truck sped off and she rammed into the Walkers that tried to surround them, from his crossbow Daryl shot down more, when they were sure the area was clear Danni took the lead and she drove to the tallest building she could find.

They stopped and stood outside. Rick nodded. "You figured it out." He said.

"I'm not particularly happy we're in the city…" She admitted. "But – if we stay up in a high building we have an advantage…" She put her hands in her pockets. "Who knows, central heating might still work."

"Let's move in, leave nothing in the cars in case someone shows up." Rick said. "Daryl, Glenn, and I will do a quick sweep of the building, T-Dog; I want you to make sure everything is okay down here while everyone else carries the things in."

They all nodded and the women, Hershel, and Carl began to pull the things out. Lori looked at her husband and Danni frowned. How long was he going to do this?

Once they had taken everything inside they began to take everything upstairs, they went to the tenth floor where Rick promised they would continue a sweep the following day. They began to set up in an office as Danni checked to see if there was heat, when they found there wasn't they collected things like documents, checkbooks, notebooks, and post-it pads, they dumped them into a metal trash-bin and they lit that, Beth and Carl tended to that. Danni stared out the window; she could see a lot of the city… Now that they were there, she wondered just what their next move was.


	30. New Member

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

I am SOOOO sorry for my absence darlings! A lot has been going on and well... but here I am! I hope this chapter is good! Thank you all for your support, keep it coming 'cause you're all brilliant!

Also, I think next chapter I'm going to get into season 3, I would assume you've all watched it, so the spoilers won't be as bad, yeah?

* * *

Danni paced as the others slept, the fire they kept going cast a warm glow upon the room. Daryl was keeping watch in the lobby, it had been several days since their arrival into the building, their cars were parked in the lobby to keep them from getting stolen.

She walked down the stairs and nodded to Rick who was keeping watch on the floor below the one they were currently at. She shouldered her bow and buttoned up her sweater before she moved to the Lobby where Daryl was sitting on the hood of her car keeping his gaze glued to the doors. He was wrapped in a poncho they had found in one of the offices. "Hey." She said.

He looked at her briefly before he nodded. "Hey."

"Anything interesting?" She asked as she sat beside him after she placed the bow on the hood behind them.

"No." He said as he pulled her against his side, she wrapped her arms around him and let out a tiny sigh. "Where's Maddy?" He asked.

"Sleeping." She replied gently. "Maggie's keeping an eye on her – thought I should come down and keep an eye on you." She teased.

He flicked her forehead gently in response and they fell into silence, keeping an eye on the doors, suddenly Danni sat up. "Do you hear that?" She said quietly.

"Sounds like a woman shriekin'." He said with a frown. "The city's empty – it should be."

"But it might not be." She said. "Look, I'll go check it out –"

"Hell no." He said, "you ain't goin' out there alone."

"Daryl, that woman probably needs help!" She said.

"I'm goin' with you." He said as they slid off the car and they made their way to the building doors, they saw a woman running from five Walkers, her leg was bandaged and she had a gun in her hand, however when she tried to shoot it all it did was click emptily.

Daryl loaded his crossbow and Danni grabbed her bow and she pulled out an arrow from the quiver at her hip, he waited for her weapon to be properly set before they both aimed, the woman cried out in shock when two Walkers fell down with arrows to their heads, she then saw a woman appear out of seemingly nowhere and stab a Walker through the head with a buck-knife while a man took care of the remaining two.

"Not bad," the woman said as she yanked out an arrow from one of the corpses as she wiped the tip with a cloth before she shoved it back into the quiver.

The man simply grunted in response as he grabbed his arrows from her. "Only five Walkers – makes you wonder if the whole city emptied on us when we burned down the barn."

"Who the hell are you?" The woman asked slowly.

They both looked at her oddly. "Oh! Right, sorry about that – must be terrifying, Daryl can look kinda scary at night."

"The hell you say?" He said.

"I love you." She replied with a smirk. "I'm Danni, this is Daryl – you are?"

"Malia." She replied, "look, thanks for your help but –"

"You got to get going?" Danni asked with a grin. "Hey, we're all just a bunch of stragglers that used to use that to get away – you look like you need medical care and we happen to have a doctor with us, plus – this city is empty, try and convince me all you want but I doubt that you have anyone to go back to. So, you can come with us – or die, really either way it doesn't matter much to us what you chose."

Malia stared at them for the longest time before she let out a sigh. "Fine, take me to your leader." She said oddly.

"What, you don't have things you need to grab?" Danni asked.

She gestured to a pack on her back, the pair looked mildly impressed as they led her into the building, Rick ran down the stairs almost angrily. "You went out –"

"Had to save a soul, oh fearless one." Danni said in response, she then gestured to Malia who eyed Rick warily. "This is Malia – we had to take down five Walkers to save her –"

"Dan, a word please." He said quietly.

She let out a quiet sigh as she followed Rick into the stairwell, he crossed his arms and looked down at her for a while with a scrutinizing gaze. "Rick, we had to save her, we couldn't let her just die! She needs medical attention –"

"Dan, you of all people know we can't afford –"

"To bring on stragglers, I know – I know." She ran her hands through her hair, "it doesn't sit well with me Rick – to let her die out there like an animal."

Something seemed to cloud his eyes when she said that, he then looked down and put his hands on his hips as he nodded slowly, "you're right." He said quietly as he looked up at her.

"Rick," she started with a sigh but then she thought better of what it was she wanted to say so she simply shook her head. "Don't let the world bring you down, brother." She said gently, "We need you here."

He looked up at her again and he nodded. "You're right, you are…." He looked over at Malia, the woman was warily eyeing Daryl who was glaring at her. "But if she does anything –"

"It will be on me, I know how it goes." She said gently. "Look, I'll tell her the rules, and you can split my rations with her – for whatever food we have left."

Rick ran a hand down his face as he nodded, he sat down on the steps and looked up at her, Danni's heart broke when she saw his expression. "Most days, I don't even know if I'm doing the right thing"

She sat beside him and she shrugged. "We all do." She said quietly. "But it's all about making the right decision – even if it feels like it wrong…" She hesitated. "Sort of like what you did with Shane…"

"Dan –"

"No," She said, "it needs to be spoken about or you're not going to be able to sleep at night – Daryl told me that you shot him – he told me that Shane threatened you…" She put a hand on his arm. "It may not be the right thing to you… now… but you kept him from being too changed from the world…" She trailed off, "He used to be my friend too…"

He put a hand over hers and let out a long sigh, "Thanks Dan." He said quietly, "now go tend to Malia."

She nodded, patted his shoulder, and then she got up – Daryl looked at her expectantly as she nodded, he pressed a kiss to her forehead before going back to his spot, Danni then walked over to Malia and managed a small smile. "Come on," she said, "let's get you tended to."

Malia simply nodded and followed Danni up the stairs, when Danni noticed she was limping she rushed to Malia's side and put an arm around her waist, "Lean on me." She said quietly and the woman slowly let herself lean her weight on her short-haired companion as they continued their journey up the stairs.

What Malia saw after much climbing was an office that had been turned into a camp-site, there was a fire in a trash-bin, and people slept here and there in sleeping bags, a woman with short gray hair got up from a chair, "Dan?" She questioned.

"Is Hershel awake?" Danni asked.

"I'm awake," An old man said as he sat up, "can't really sleep anyways." He said simply as he noticed Malia, "and who is this?" He questioned.

"This is Malia, Daryl and I saved her from some Walkers – pops, she needs medical attention." Danni said, it was obvious to Malia that she was intruding on what seemed to be a close-knit family, they all spoke together with so much trust it was overwhelming.

"Let's take her into the office." The old man said as he nodded to the office of what should have been an executive.

"I'll get a fire going." The gray-haired woman said.

"Malia, these are Carol and Hershel –" Danni told her gently, she guessed her companion was trying to make her feel at ease. "They're going to take care of you – Hershel is a doctor, and Carol is learning the tricks of his trade because one of our people is pregnant so she's going to help with the delivery."

"Nice to meet you…?" Malia said uncertainly as she looked at Danni who chuckled oddly.

Once they were in the office, a fire kept it warm, Malia let Hershel tend to her wounds, Danni sat on a chair and she faced Malia. "So, what's your story?"

"Not much of a story…" Malia said with a wince.

"Everyone here has some sort of story to tell." Danni said simply, "if you don't want to tell us you don't have to."

"I'd prefer not to," Malia said quietly as she hugged herself.

"People aren't going to trust you otherwise." Danni said. "Just sayin' – also I should probably tell you about our ration rules – and when you're well enough and if they trust you enough you'll probably be asked to take over watch." Danni trailed off silently as she contemplated for a while. She then continued to tell Malia about the rules of the camp and she told her about the people within the camp.

Once they had taken care of Malia Danni left them so that she could check on Maddy who was still asleep, she didn't know what time it was before Daryl finally stumbled over to her, he dumped himself beside her and pulled her into his embrace, she had been watching Malia who was perched on an upturned desk and she was keeping a wary eye out. "You trust her?" He asked her quietly.

"Not really," she replied in a quiet whisper. "But she deserves the benefit of the doubt." She gently patted his stomach. "It's what saved all of us." She looked up at him. "Don't you think?"

He pressed his lips to her forehead and said nothing. Danni internally prayed that Malia wasn't some sort of psychopath and she had just committed a big mistake. He gently pulled back and let out a sigh. "Yeah, I guess so." He said.

"Sleep," she said gently. "You need it."

The following morning it began to rain heavily, they huddled by the fire and they just miserably watched the rain, Maddy and Carl were playing a card game in a fort they had build out of desks and spare blankets, and Danni was keeping an eye on them. Daryl sat beside her as T-Dog had taken over watch of the lobby.

"When should we get moving?" Danni asked as Daryl idly played with a lock of hair that stuck up.

Rick shook his head. "Soon, maybe we'll head back into the suburbs." He said. "The city is empty and useless to us. We'll move out when the rain lets up."

"How are we on gas?" Lori asked.

"We're good to go." Daryl replied. "Filled up the tanks almost three days ago."

"Then when the rain lets up we head out." Rick said.

"I guess that means we should start packing up then." Danni said.

"Yes, it does." Rick said.

The following morning they began to pack, the rain had begin to let up and they took it as prime opportunity to get on the road again. Maddy grumbled tiredly as Danni forced her to get up to help. "But I want to sleep."

"You can sleep when we're on the road." Daryl said. "Look, I'm gonna put the bike in the back of the pick-up." He told Danni. "Roads are too slippery."

She nodded and rolled up their sleeping bags. By noon everything had been packed up and Malia looked at them unsurely. "I go with you all?" She asked.

"You don't think we'd leave you behind?" Rick asked as he shut the back of the Cherokee.

"You don't know me." She said.

"For some reason Danni trusts you – and we trust Danni, do not make us regret this decision." He told her before he went to help Carol load the things into the back of Danni's truck.

"They're always like that." T-Dog said.

Malia looked at him oddly.

"Sorry, I'm T-Dog." He said.

"Malia."

"Nice to meet you." He said before he went to help Glenn.

"So what's the plan?" Hershel asked Rick.

"Head back towards the farmlands," Rick replied. "See if we can find more things to stock up on… maybe find a place we can properly hunker down in." He nodded to Maggie who put a box in one of the trucks. "We're going to have to go back to that… for now."

Hershel looked perplexed. "At the moment, it'll be best for Lori if we stay put." He said.

"We can't afford that at the moment." Rick said. "We need to keep moving –"

"This is the health of your wife." Hershel said, but when he saw Rick would not be moved he shook his head and left him.

Once everything was properly loaded and ready they all got into their cars, Malia rode with Daryl, Danni, T-Dog, and Danni as they brought up the rear of the group.

"Man, Rick's just not right." T-Dog said. "What the hell is going on?"

Danni frowned. "I honestly don't know what to tell you – he doesn't tell us anything…"

It was no secret that Danni and Daryl were very close to Rick. It was perplexing to them all to see him this callous towards Lori.

"Do they still love each other?" Maddy asked quietly.

"Of course they do, baby girl." Danni said. "They're just going through a rough patch… everyone does."

She hesitated. "Will you and Daryl?" The child asked.

"Probably." Daryl teased.

Danni grinned and looked at Maddy. "Grown-ups don't always get along," She explained simply. "Don't worry about it, baby girl, it's our job to do that." She nodded and resumed sitting quietly. Danni then glanced at Malia. "So, Malia, care to share anything?"

Malia hesitated, she knew these people wouldn't trust her if she clammed up like that. "I'm looking for my sister."

"Your sister?" Danni asked. "When did you see her last?"

"We were supposed to meet in Atlanta, but you see – my sister is a Survivor, she will do whatever it takes to make sure she makes it along." She replied.

"That's why we found you the other day – isn't it?" Danni asked.

Malia nodded. "Yeah." She said in response.

"What's your sister's name?" Daryl asked, surprising them all since he had been so silent throughout the exchange.

"Michonne, he name is Michonne."

Danni grinned. "How about we try to help you find Michonne?" She asked. "You never know, we might find her on the way to wherever it is we're going…"

"She could be anywhere in Georgia." T-Dog said.

"Looks like we've got to keep an eye out anyways." Danni said. "You never know who we might meet on the road."

Daryl nodded in confirmation and they all fell into silence they contemplated their journey ahead.


	31. New Place

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

* * *

Winter slowly and gradually became summer, they were all barely making it along, and Lori's stomach only grew. They had been going from house to house all season long, and it seemed to work for them because they had survived so far, Malia had finally learned to open up to the group and now she was an invaluable member in their distorted family.

Maddy and Carl had both been trained in how to handle guns because both children's parents and guardians realized that it would be best if the children – though young – could contribute to helping with keeping the group safe.

T-Dog, Malia, Daryl, Rick, Carl, and Danni all ran up to a house, Danni had her sword at the ready as Maggie watched over both Beth and Maddy.

Rick kicked open the doors and then he shot down one of the Walkers within before T-Dog took care of the other, once the room had been cleared they all split up to make sure the house was clear.

Danni headed up the stairs, her boots moved soundlessly as she walked cautiously, the first room she went in to was clear, the second room was clear, but the third one had two Walkers, both of them were walking around aimlessly in the room. She was quick to dispatch them both. Once she had made sure everything was clear she went downstairs to meet up with the others as Glenn, and Maggie walked into the kitchen Danni went to go see how the others were doing. A whistle alerted them that it was safe and they all began to carry things into the house.

Maddy had grown taller over the past couple of months, she was almost gangly and she didn't fit in any of her old clothes so she had to borrow some of Beth's which were slightly too big.

Everyone was silent, the past couple of months had definitely taken its toll on them, they were exhausted, hungry, and now that the air was hot, the heat made all of their skins sticky.

She noticed Daryl was carrying some sort of bird in his hands, and he was tearing at its feathers a bit sullenly. They all moved to sit in the living room of the house, Danni sat beside Daryl as she watched him pull feathers out while Carl ran in with two cans of some sort of food, when he tried to open it Rick grabbed it from him and he tossed it into the dead fire-place.

The past months had taken a toll on everyone – but more-so Rick, their leader, he looked haggard, tired, and Danni had a feeling it wouldn't take much to set her friend off. He looked around at them and they all just glanced at each other. T-Dog suddenly got up and he let out an annoyed sigh.

This was how they had been living for the past weeks – settling in a house – seeing Walkers – and then running off right away.

Malia looked over at Danni, "When do you think we'll settle down?" She asked her friend.

"I don't know." Danni said with a clenched jaw.

All this moving around was wearing down on her just like it was wearing down on everyone. Maddy silently sat in the middle of the backseat, her hair was in a messy braid, and her face was grimy.

Danni couldn't help but wonder when it was the last time they all had proper baths, they all stank that they never really noticed it.

The group stopped in a street far away from the house, Rick told Carl something before they spread out a map on Maggie's car. Danni had the bow that Daryl had made her at hand with her quiver strapped to her hip. The cicadas were singing as they all met up. " We got no place left to go." T-Dog said.

"When this herd meets up with this one, we'll be cut off." Maggie said as she pointed at the map. "We'll never make it south."

Daryl and Danny walked up to the car as he leaned on the hood, "what What would you say? That was about 150 head?" He asked.

"That was last week –" Glenn said. "Could be twice of that by now."

The previous week they had a run in with a herd off the main road, Danni suspected they had come from a nearby town or something like that.

"This river could have delayed them," Hershel said, "if we move fast we might have a shot to tear right through there…

" Yeah, but if this group joins with that one, they could spill out this way …" T-Dog said with a frown.

"They could still catch up with us…" Malia added as she looked up at everyone.

"We're blocked either way." Maggie added.

"Only thing to do is double back at and swing towards Greenville." Rick said as he pointed to the map.

"Yeah, we picked through that already." Danni said with a frown. "Doesn't it feel like all we did all winter after we left Atlanta was just go in circles?"

"Yeah, I know. I know." Rick said with a frown. "At Newnan we'll push west. Haven't been through there yet. We can't keep going house to house. Need to find someplace to hole up for a few weeks."

"All right." T-Dog said as he nodded. "It cool if we get to the creek before we head out?" He asked.

"It won't take long," Malia added. " We need to fill up on water."

"We can boil it later." T-Dog agreed.

"Knock yourself out." Rick told them.

Danni walked to the truck to check on Maddy who was sitting with Beth. "How are you girls holding up?" She asked.

"Fine." They both replied.

Suddenly Rick and Daryl joined them. "Dan, we need you for a bit." Rick said.

"Oh?" She said, she glanced at both girls before she followed Rick and Daryl, the trio ran off the road and they followed some tracks, her eyes widened when she saw the prison. "Oh." She said.

"Think you can try and clear some of the Walkers as we try to get in?" Rick asked.

"I think I can – from up here?" She asked as she looked at Rick who nodded. "I suppose." She said. "I'll keep an eye out here – and once you guys clear that first gate – I can drive through with my truck."

Rick nodded.

"Just leave Malia with me – and a gun, she's good at shooting while on the move." Danni added.

"You got it." Rick replied.

Rick left them for a moment. "You sure you can do this?" Daryl asked her.

"I'll be fine." She insisted. "Don't worry about it – okay?" He nodded and began to walk off, "Hey!" She said as she put her hands on her hips.

He turned around. "What?" He said.

"I love you." She said as she jogged over to him, he put his arm around her shoulders and kissed the side of her head as they headed back to the cars.

She filled her quiver with arrows she and Daryl had made plenty of, she really couldn't count how many they had made, but they had probably made enough to equip a small army. "Maddy, I need you to go with Carol, okay baby girl?" Danni said as she checked her arrows.

Maddy nodded and then she went to Carol.

"What's the plan?" Malia asked her as she joined her.

"I'm going to shoot at the Walkers as the others go." She said in response. "Once they've cleared it – and Rick gives us the signal – I use my superb driving skills to plow through the others, and you shoot them down." She looked at Malia who grinned.

"I like that plan."

"Good." Danni said as she shut the back of the truck.

The others prepared to get moving as Malia and Danni walked away from them.

Danni situated herself on the top of the hill and she grabbed her first arrow, she aimed at a walked and then she released it, the arrow sped right into its head.

"Not bad." Malia said.

"I've had a lot of practice." She replied.

In truth, she had, the past couple of months she would try to practice as much as she could, hell, she could shoot an arrow while walking.

Malia watched as Danni continued to shoot from her position, since her arrival to the group, Malia had found that they were all good people, she trusted them now – she knew that if she were her sister she would probably still not trust them. But Malia couldn't help it, they were all an honest group of misfits, they all meant well, they survived to protect each other, to live – and thrive – and love.

"Keep your eye on Maddy." Danni said as she continued to shoot.

Malia nodded and she easily spotted the girl, she understood Danni's dedication to her, and after hearing their story – and learning that Danni was the soul guardian of the girl, she could understand the undying devotion to ensure that Maddy had a life free of the hell they were all living in.

Danni paused when she spotted Daryl standing in a tower, he gestured to the group. "That's the signal." She said when they heard heavy gunfire.

Malia nodded and both women climbed into the SUV, Danni started the car up and Malia sat in the window, she had done this enough to not fall out, even when Danni drove at her NASCAR approved speeds. "Ready?" The brunette called out.

"Hell yes." Malia replied as she loaded her gun, she then put on goggles that Danni handed her before the driver set off.

The wind whipped at her hair and skin, whatever sweat had clung to it had dried and now she peered through the goggles as they raced into the prison yard, Walkers noticed them and Danni went to drive into them. She prepared her gun and began to shoot them down, the others shot from the safety of the cage.

Before long the area had been cleared, Danni and Malia cheered as they met up with the others, both women dove out of the car after Danni stopped it and T-Dog cheered as he met up with them. Rick laughed as he patted them both on the back. "That was –"

"So fun!" Danni said. "Felt good to drive like that."

"You should try half-hanging out of the window." Malia grinned.

"I'm a stunt-woman, it's my job to fly out of windows." She laughed as she barreled into Daryl who was grinning.

"You were so cool!" Maddy beamed.

"You guys were brilliant yourselves," Danni said. "All acting cool like some sort of brigade."

They laughed and Daryl kissed the side of her head. By that night they had set up camp, Daryl and Rick were on watch, Carol, Malia, and Danni sat side-by-side as Maddy sat against her godmother. They were eating little squirrels Daryl had brought them.

"Mmm. Just like mom used to make." Glenn said before he tossed a bone.

They were all silent for a long time as they ate, Danni kept glancing over at Daryl to make sure he was fine. "Tomorrow we'll put all the bodies together. Want to keep them away from that water. Now, if we can dig a canal under the fence, we'll have plenty of fresh water." T-Dog said.

Hershel ran his fingers through the dirt. "The soil is good. We could plant some seed. Grow some tomatoes, cucumbers, soybeans."

"We sound like a settlement." Malia smirked.

Hershel grinned at her. He then looked up at Rick who was walking around the field. "That's his third time around. If there was any part of it compromised, he'd have found it by now." Everyone glanced at Danni.

"Don't glance at me like that, he stopped listening to me when I try to talk to him." She shrugged.

Carol handed her a plate. "Why don't you go take that to Daryl." She told Danni.

"On it, mama-bear." She said as she kissed the top of Maddy's head.

Carol smiled gently and watched Danni walk off.

She walked towards the truck he was standing on. "Hey! Take this." She said.

He grabbed it from her and then helped her climb up. "What's this?" He asked.

"You caught it, you should eat some." She then grinned. "Carol's orders."

He scoffed.

"Don't you scoff, she takes care of you when you're too stubborn to listen to me." She pointed at him.

"Shut up." He said.

She rolled her eyes and watched him scarf it down before he put the empty plate down. "Rick's making a fourth turn…" She whispered.

"Can't get through to him?" He asked.

"No." She let out a sigh. "Daryl, he needs… he needs to forgive her."

"That kid probably ain't even his." He said. "For all we know – that's –"

"I know – but she's still his wife." She said gently. "It's like – you caring for Maddy." She said.

"That ain't the same."

"How so?" She asked.

"For one – we ain't married."

"But you love me, don't you?" She countered.

"Yeah." He said.

"And in turn – you love Maddy?" She questioned.

"Hell, I probably gone love her before I loved you." He stated.

"Real smooth Don Juan." She retorted.

She made to leave but he grabbed her wrist. "Hey," he said. She turned around and saw he was amused.

"Don't laugh at me." She said.

He shook his head. "You're such an idiot." He yanked her into his embrace.

"I'm not the idiot." She said against his shoulder.

"You should head back." He said. "I'll help you down –"

She rolled her eyes. "Really know? Chivalry and all that?"

"Didn't you put into consideration that maybe I just want to get a good look at your –" She clapped her hand over his mouth. "Not in front of Maddy!"

"She ain't even near." He said.

"But still, we said, no funny business if she's within range of sight and hearing." She pointed at him. "You best not forget that."

"Fine." He said.

Together they walked back hand-in-hand, they could hear Beth singing.

_'Of all the money e'er I had  
I spent it in good company  
And all the harm e'er I've ever done  
alas it was to none but me  
and all I've done for want of wit  
to memory now I can't recall  
so fill to me the parting glass  
good night and joy be with you all…_'

Daryl paused when she stopped. "What is it?" he asked.

"My mom, used to sing that a lot when she would knit." She said as she smiled sadly. Beth trailed off, Maggie smiled gently and continued to sing with her sister. Danni couldn't help but silently join in under her breath,

_'oh, all the comrades that e'er I had  
were sorry for my going away  
and all the sweetheart that e'er I had  
would wish me one more day to stay  
But since it falls unto my lot  
that I should rise and you should not  
I'll gently rise and I'll softly call  
good night and joy be with you all  
good night and joy be with you all…'_

Both girls fell silent and Danni went to sit with Maddy again, they all fell into silence, Rick – who had joined them a short while ago – looked around at the group.

"Beautiful." Hershel told his daughters.

"Better all turn in. I'll take watch over there. Got a big day tomorrow." Rick told them all.

"What do you mean?" Glenn asked a bit nervously.

"Look, I know we're all exhausted. This was a great win. But we've got to push just a little bit more. Most of the walkers are dressed as guards and prisoners. Looks like this place fell pretty early. It could mean the supplies may be intact. They'd have an infirmary, a commissary." Rick explained to them.

"An armory?" Hershel asked.

"That would be outside the prison itself, but not too far away. Warden's offices would have info on the location. Weapons, food, medicine. This place could be a gold mine."

Hershel looked very perplexed. "We're dangerously low on ammo. We'd run out before we make a dent."

"That's why we have to go in there... Hand to hand. After all we've been through, we can handle it, I know it. These guys don't stand a chance." Rick told them.

Daryl put his crossbow down and Danni and Maddy got up and made their way over to him. "Lori and Rick." She said gently as Daryl fixed his Poncho.

"Ain't our problem." He said.

"It should be." She said.

"Well, it ain't." He said. "Don't go shovin' your nose where it ain't ought to be." He said as he settled down.

"The sanity and stability of the group is important, when the president and his wife aren't getting along – something is seriously wrong –" She gasped when he yanked her down, Maddy giggled at this. "You're trying to shut me up." She said.

"Ain't working." He said.

"Fine." She said as she turned her back to him, he wrapped his arms around her anyways and pulled her into his as Maddy settled down beside Danni who was scowling.

"Sometimes you act like such a kid." Maddy said.

"Are you calling me childish?" She asked.

"Would you just shut it?" Malia called out. "Some of us are trying to get some sleep!"

Maddy giggled.

"Go to sleep." Danny grumbled as she pulled the child to her.

"Don't tell her what to do." Daryl said.

"Don't contradict my parenting style." She muttered.

He chuckled and kissed the back of her neck. She couldn't help but smile as she listened to the crickets chirping, and the rest of their companions slowly falling asleep, but she never fell asleep, and neither did Daryl, the two remained watchfully awake for the most of the night, Danni before long finally gave in to sleep, but Daryl – on the other hand – never did succumb, instead he focused on Rick, patrolling the yard himself, it was secure, but it was obvious his friend had a lot on his mind.

Who knew what tomorrow would bring for them, all that was certain was that there would be a lot of work to do.


	32. Watchful

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

I am sooooo sorry for the delay, and for the length of this chapter, the past couple of weeks have not been easy on my for many reasons...

Anyways, now that I am finally updating, I think I would like to take a moment and just state something... Now, I appreciate all the support from you guys, really - I don't think I've ever had a story that has been this popular as I wrote it! So I want to thank you all...

Secondly, now, I've been delving into the depths of this fandom on tumblr... and I'm noticing a lot of things so I'm just going to say this now... I don't want any OC bashing here, no... 'OMG Andrea IS awesome' - I know she's awesome... If I ever write Andrea-bashing it's because it belongs in the story and doesn't necessarily fit into my plot, I also don't care for Caryl, so don't ask for it... I won't put it... the reason I won't put it isn't because I don't support the ship (Sometimes Daryl an Carol have nice moments that really can't be expressed) but again, this is my story... I'm taking the story the way I want it, so any comments about the above mentioned will be ignored, and in fact I will do the exact opposite... I've been studying a lot on the methodology of how Steven Moffat writes, so beware... I might have picked up some of his tricks... when they say no character is safe... I say it... and I mean it. That and I'm starting to get tired of how nasty people within the fandom seem to get with each other... dudes, seriously, calm down - every fan is entitled to their own opinions.

* * *

The following morning they were up early, Danni checked her weapons as everyone else did, "Dan, you and Malia run them over with the truck," Rick told her. "Clear out the Walkers in our path."

That was their job, Danni was the crazy driver, and Malia was her apparent side-kick. "Some superheroes we'd be," Danni said.

"We would get paid if we were superheroes." Malia retorted dryly.

Rick chuckled and shook his head before both women clambered into the truck, Maddy went to Carol and Carl before Danni started the truck, "Here we go again," she told her friend as she began to sit with her top half out of the window.

"All in a day's work," Malia chuckled.

Their work was simple, drive around, distract the Walkers within the vicinity, and take them down, Danni drove about, however Malia let out a curse and she slid back in, "I'm out of ammo." She said.

"Ah well, looks like we're just going to have to bash them in," she replied as she casually drove over three Walkers. Their group had split in to two, Daryl, Rick, Glenn, Maggie, and T-Dog were supposed to get into the prison and clear the path, while the others worked from behind the fence.

It was a taxing job to do, and everyone was involved, even with the others safely behind the fence they made as much noise as they could to distract the Walkers. When she saw them overlooking a fence that closed off a hoard of walkers from the other Walkers Danni stopped the truck, she looked at Malia who began to fumble for ammo, "I'm going up-top." She said.

"Do that," Malia said and then she let out a curse as she upturned an empty box of ammo. "When did we run out?"

"I want to say Louisville, but we've never been," Danni said as she climbed up to the top of the truck, her bow was slung around her neck as Malia handed her the quiver from the back seat, she began to shoot at Walkers, she watched them fall to the ground as the five ran on.

Rick waved his arms to her and she jumped off the car, "Mal, Rick's signaling us." She said.

"Did you clear the area?" She asked.

Danni nodded as Malia pulled herself out of the car, "Did you find any ammo?" Danni asked.

"No, we're fresh out…"

Danni tossed her the white sword as both women made their way over to the five.

"Well, it looks secure…." T-Dog said; he had grabbed a Police shield through their advance in the Prison yard. "Nothing will lead to that courtyard over there."

Daryl noticed one of the bodies Danni had taken down, "That's a civilian." He pointed out. "So the interior could be over-run by walkers from outside the prison."

"Well, if there's walls, then, what are we gonna do? We can't rebuild this whole place." Glenn said, he looked worried.

"We could hole up in a place that's secure," Malia offered, "a cell block or something."

Danni nodded, "It's probably over-run, but we can probably clear a cell block out for us to bring the others in…"

Rick nodded, "I'll carry us to a blind spot. We have to push in…"

They all walked to a caged off walkway, Rick nodded to Daryl and Danni as she grabbed an arrow and she loosely fitted into her bow as they walked up to a metal door, Daryl nodded to her and he opened it, the moment they walked in the aimed her bow around the room and Daryl did the same with his crossbow, they then walked through a gate before T-Dog shut the door behind them, they were in what appeared to be a cafeteria that had a small security tower, as they all stalked about the silence of the place creeped them out.

Rick went up into the security tower as the others kept watch, Maggie stood by a gate as Rick joined them once more, this time he had a set of keys with him, he unlocked the doors and they went in to the cellblock.

Daryl nudged Danni with his hand and then he gestured that he was going up-top; she nodded and took that as instruction to stay below.

Malia followed her closely and they stared at the cells as they walked on, most of the people within were dead, shot through the head or something of the like.

Malia tapped Danni's shoulder and then she pointed to the last three cells at the end, they were shut while most of the other cells were open.

Danni glanced at her friend and she nodded, they walked to them and they saw Walkers scrabbling about in them. She grabbed one of her arrows and she stabbed the nearest Walker to her through the eye, when it fell down Malia took care of the rest with the sword.

Rick walked down, "Maggie, Glenn, you go get the others – we'll stay here and clear out this cellblock to make it more… habitable."

"If that's what you want to call it," Danni said as she watched Malia stab at another Walker.

Maggie and Glenn ran off as Danni and Rick walked in to the first cell, together they grabbed the body within and they carried it out, "Give me the keys," Malia said.

Rick obliged by tossing them to her, she grabbed them and then she went to unlock the last three cells before she handed them to Daryl who did the same to the closed cells up-top.

"Where should we toss them?" Danni asked Rick as they carried the dead weight of the man that used to be an inmate.

"Outside," Rick said, "in the yard…"

"Suppose that should work, not on the dirt though, could contaminate it."

He nodded as they tossed the body out onto the concrete, they walked back inside as Malia and T-Dog carried out another, Daryl was dragging one on his own. As the five completed the task the others brought the cars closer and began to bring down their belongings.

Danni felt gross, then again – none of them had really felt all that clean in a long while, she wiped the back of her hand on her forehead as Daryl threw down a body, she grabbed the feet and Malia grabbed the shoulders and together they hauled it out.

"I bet we can find the showers here," Malia said.

"It's probably one of those nasty communal showers," Danni teased.

"Somehow I have a feeling when it comes to a certain someone you really wouldn't mind," Malia teased back and then she smirked in pleasure when she saw Danni's face turn pink.

"Really?" She said loudly.

Malia chuckled, "The world is ending, but hint at the natural flow of how a relationship should go and the girl is like she's in high school again."

"You are evil," Danni pointed out.

"Thank you," Malia grinned.

Once the others walked in T-Dog had tossed down the last body for Daryl to drag out. Rick looked at them as they looked about them, all the while lugging their belongings, "What do you think?" He asked them.

"Home, sweet, home…" Glenn said sarcastically.

"For the time being..." Rick agreed.

"It's secure?" Lori asked as Maddy walked behind her.

"This cell block is," Rick responded.

"What about the rest of the prison?" Hershel asked.

"In the morning, we'll find the cafeteria and infirmary," Rick explained, so the area they had entered from wasn't a cafeteria, maybe just a visitation room?

"We'll sleep in the cells?" Beth asked curiously.

"I found keys on some guards," Rick responded. "Daryl has a set too."

"I ain't sleeping in no cage, I'll take the perch." Daryl said as he walked off towards the loft within the block that lead to the second floor.

"Come on," Carol told Lori gently.

Danni grabbed her things as she walked into a cell, she put the things down and then she made sure Maddy was comfortable. "Get some rest," she said gently.

"But you look tired too," Maddy said.

"I'm fine, baby girl." She insisted as she kissed the top of Maddy's head. Maddy settled onto the bed and Danni got up as she walked out of the cell, Rick had made himself comfortable on the floor. She walked into a cell and found Malia, the woman – while mostly jovial around the others, always had the saddest looks on her face when she thought no one was watching. She knew that she was probably thinking about her family… her sister… her sister's boyfriend… and her own. Malia had never told Danni what had happened to the latter two, it seemed to bring up very sore memories when she asked. "You'll find her," Danni said as she snapped Malia out of her reverie.

"How do you know that?" Malia asked.

She shrugged, "I don't know, you seem like someone who will find people when you lose them…" She grinned.

"And you?" She asked Danni with a frown.

Danni remembered everyone she had known, the people she had lost… the people she hadn't… "I suppose I do a bit of both… I find and I lose."

Both women lapsed into silence before Danni let out a sigh, "You should get some rest, looks like we have one hell of a day ahead of us tomorrow."

"Seems like lately most of our days are like that these days…" Malia responded before she watched Danni leave, before she had fully gone she got up, "Wait," she said.

Danni stopped curiously, "Yeah?"

"Your sword, take it back," she said as she held it out.

Danni nodded, "Thanks…"

"You know, my sister – she has one like it," she stated.

"Does she know?" Danni looked interested.

Malia grinned, "She grabbed it from one of those hobby stores you find – the one where nerds like to go… for comic-cons…" She looked at the sword, "It looked like that…"

She grinned, "It's a working prop from a movie I once worked on," she stated. "It was a gift…"

"Then hers could be like yours." Malia commented as she glanced at Danni again.

"Probably," Danni grinned before she left the cell.

She walked about, Rick was silent, his eyes were watchful, they always were, and she could hear the sounds of people settling in all around the cell block, she glanced up at Daryl who was already asleep before she went back to Maddy who had fallen asleep as well, she curled up around the child and then went to sleep herself.

The following morning they were up bright and early, after a pathetic breakfast of what rations they had left. Danni was braiding Maddy's hair when Rick poked his head in, "Dan, you mind?" He asked.

"No," she said as she tied off the braid, she grabbed her sword and she fastened it to her back before she followed him into the outer hall where Daryl tossed down various things.

"Pulled these from the guard tower," he said as he pointed to the security loft above them.

"Not bad. Flashbangs, CS Triple-Chasers. Not sure how they'd work on walkers, but we'll take it…" Rick said as he inspected the things.

Malia grabbed a Flashbang and then she examined it before Daryl grabbed one of the helmets, when he upturned it some sort of liquid dripped out. "I ain't wearing this!" He said.

"We could boil 'em," T-Dog offered as he held up a glove, he looked like he was going to throw up as slime fell out of the glove.

"Ain't enough firewood in the whole forest, no," Daryl grumbled, "Besides, we made it this far without 'em, right?"

Carol appeared as she looked at them, "Hershel."

Rick frowned, "Everything all right?" He asked.

"Yeah," Carol replied. "Nothing to worry about," she said as Hershel followed her out.

Danni looked at Rick as she frowned, "Rick, you need to talk to your wife."

"I've got things to do," he said as he turned away.

Danni looked at Daryl worriedly as he shook his head; his glance told her to stay out of whatever it was that was going on between Rick and Lori.

"Dan, I need you and Malia to stay here with Hershel, Lori, Carol, Beth, Carl, and Maddy… we're going further into the prison to clear it out, got it?" Rick said as they began to gear up.

Both Danni and Malia nodded as they watched T-Dog adjust the vest. "Aren't you gearing up too?" Danni asked Daryl.

"Hell no, I ain't putting that on."

She shook her head, "Be careful," she said with a grin as she patted his cheek. "Don't do anything stupid." She then kissed his cheek; he awkwardly stood there as T-Dog turned away so Daryl wouldn't see him snickering. She couldn't help but chuckle, Daryl was not too big on public displays of affection when he knew people were watching, she didn't mind because she knew he could be as affectionate as he wanted to be when no one was there to watch.

Carl had tried to gear up as well but his father stopped him, "No, you've got to stay here." Rick told his son firmly.

"You're kidding," Carl said.

"We don't know what's in there," Rick said with a frown. "Something goes wrong, you could be the last man standing. I need you to handle things here."

Carl hesitated before he nodded, "Sure."

"Great, then, let's go."

Daryl lightly smacked her leg before he followed Rick, T-Dog, Maggie, Glenn, and Hershel who joined them shortly after her had checked in on Lori.

Carl locked the gate after them and then they worriedly glanced at each other. "Just sit tight," Danni told them as she leaned against the bars.

"We'll take watch in shifts," Carl said.

Danni nodded and then he stood beside her, she put an arm around his shoulders, "When did you grow up?" She asked.

He grinned and leaned against her as they all fell into watchful silence.


	33. Is it ours now?

**Disclaimer**: I don't own TWD; AMC and Robert Kirkman do.

* * *

Malia had taken over watch about an hour later as Danni went to check on Lori, she frowned when she heard yelling, it sounded terrified and angry all at one.

"Open the door!" Rick yelled.

Malia quickly fumbled with the keys as she opened it, she saw them roll in Hershel on some sort of table, he was missing his leg. "Oh God…" She said.

"What's going on?" Danni asked as she ran down the stairs as Carol, Lori, Beth, and Maddy followed. The commotion made everyone move around with agitation.

"It's Hershel!" Rick said.

"Oh, my God." Lori said when she saw the state he was in.

"Daddy!" Beth cried out in terror.

"What happened?" Danni asked.

"He got bit," Rick said.

"Oh, my God, he's gonna turn," Beth said in dismay.

"Did you cut it off?" Carol asked.

"Yeah," Rick said.

"Maybe you got it in time," Malia said.

"Ready?" Carol said to Maggie and Glenn.

The pair nodded and they lifted him onto the bed.

"I need bandages!" Carol said.

"We used everything we had." Maggie said.

"Well, get more. Anything," Carol pleaded.

"Carl, go get the towels from the back, right next to my bed." Lori instructed her son.

"Maddy, you do with him; you don't need to see this." Danni said as she pushed her way to sit beside Carol as she inspected the wound.

It had been hacked off just below his knee, "Is he gonna die?" Beth asked.

"No, no, no, no," Maggie insisted shakily. "He's gonna be okay."

"You think you can stabilize him?" Danni asked Carol.

"I need to keep his leg elevated. Get some pillows!" Carol said.

"He's already bled through the sheets!" Glenn cried out. "We can burn the wound to clot the blood. I can start a fire…"

"I know how to cauterize wounds, I can do it," Danni agreed.

"No, the shock could kill him," Carol said, "Maybe when he's stabilized, but not now, it's not gonna stop the arteries from bleeding. We need to just keep it dressed and let it heal on its own."

Danni could hear Daryl yelling angrily, "What's that?" Malia asked.

"More survivors… prisoners…" Rick said.

"What?" Glenn asked.

"It's all right. Everybody stay put," Rick said.

Malia and Danni got up, "There isn't much I can do here," she said as they walked out with Rick, Glenn joined them.

"Do not leave his side." Rick instructed Glenn who set his jaw and said nothing in response, Danni didn't blame him, Hershel was the father of his girlfriend, and circumstances had driven them all to be closer than what normal circumstances would ever dictate. She glanced at Malia who glanced back at her but they otherwise said nothing.

"If he dies, you need to be there for that. You think you can do this?"

"I got it," Glenn said.

"I can bring T in –"

"I said I got it." Glenn said forcefully, Rick nodded to him and then he looked at Malia and Danni who walked out with him.

"Glenn's not the boy riding a red sports car we knew a year ago, Rick," Danni said as they walked out through the gates.

The three walked out to see Daryl and T-Dog speaking to a group of men, five men all in prison jumpers. "There ain't nothing for you here," Daryl growled at them as he aimed his crossbow at one of the men.

One of them seemed to be the leader to Danni, he had a more demanding presence than the other men who seemed to have some sort of kindness about them, the leader – however – had a crazy sort of gleam in his eye, one that reminded her of Shane in the last days that she knew him.

"Why don't you go back to your own sandbox?" Daryl continued.

"How many of you are in there?" One of the men asked.

"Too many for you to handle," Rick said as they joined them.

The leader noticed Malia and Danni, "Oh we'll see about that," he said as he glanced at them up and down.

"Hey!" Daryl said as both women scowled.

"Really?" Danni said.

"Yeah, how about we head back to our part of the Prison?"

Malia rolled her eyes as she glanced over to T-Dog who looked just as apprehensive.

Rick scowled, "Go back to your part of the prison."

The leader stared at them, "You guys rob a bank or something? Why don't you take him to a hospital?"

"How long have you been locked in that cafeteria?" Rick asked.

"Going on like 10 months," the leader responded. "A riot broke out. Never seen anything like it. Attica on speed, man. Ever heard about dudes going cannibal, dying, coming back to life? Crazy. One guard looked out for us, locked us up in the cafeteria. Told us sit tight, threw me this piece, said he'd be right back…"

"Yeah, and that was 292 days ago…" The one of the kind-faced inmates said.

"94 according to my calcula-" The one who spoke out had a mustache, and he looked like the group always picked on him, which was only proven when they all told him to shut up.

"We were thinking that the army or the national guard should be showing up any day now…" One of the men continued.

Rick turned away from them and Danni frowned, "There is no army… no government, hell – there is no CDC anymore… it's like… everything shut down, no hospitals, no police… no form of… order… the world feels like it's been plunged back into a time when things were wild…"

"For real?" One of the men asked.

Malia nodded to them and Rick looked at them again.

"What about my mom's? My kids? And my old lady? Yo, you got a cell phone or something that we can call our families?" The kind-faced inmate said, he looked perplexed and worried all at the same time.

"You just don't get it do you?" Daryl asked.

"No phones, no computers… As far as we can see, at least half the population has been wiped out." Rick confirmed.

"Ain't no way," the leader said.

"See for yourself." Rick said as they lead the inmates out of the door to show them what the world looked like on the outside.

"Dan, keep an eye out, you too Daryl." Rick told them, they both silently nodded in response and kept wary eyes on the inmates.

"The sun feels good!" One of the men cried out happily, their joy was cut short when they saw the devastation beyond the gate; corpses littered the ground, all rotten, all emitting a putrid smell that was starting to smell rank in the Georgian heat.

"Good lord, they're all dead!"

"Never thought I'd be so happy to see these fences." The kind-faced inmate said. He then rounded on them, "how the hell did you get in here in the first place?"

"Cut a hole in that fence over there by that guard tower," T-Dog responded as he pointed to the tower.

"That easy, huh?"

"Where there's a will there's a way," T-Dog shrugged.

"Easy for you to say…" One of the inmates said.

"So what is this? A disease?" Another asked.

"Yeah, and we're all infected," Rick replied.

"What do you mean infected? Like AIDS or something?" The inmate with the mustache asked.

Daryl rounded on him, "If I was to kill you, shoot an arrow in your chest, you'd come back as one of these things. It's gonna happen to all of us."

Danni supposed the world looked strange and foreign to men who had been cooped up for the past 10 months in a cafeteria.

"Where'd you come from?" One of the men asked.

"Atlanta," Rick responded.

"Where are you headed?"

"Nowhere for now…"

There was a silence before the leader spoke out. "I guess you can take that area down there near the water. Should be comfortable."

"We're using that field for crops," Rick responded.

"We'll help you move your gear out –"

"That won't be necessary. We took out these walkers. This prison is ours –" Rick tried to cut him off.

"Slow down, cowboy. You snatched the locks off our doors-"

"Look, if that's a problem, we'll give you new locks." Malia said with an annoyed scowl.

"This is our prison. We were here first," The leader snapped.

"That's not a good thing to boast about," Danni said dryly, "the fact that you're here at all…"

"Want to keep mouthing off, darling?" The leader sneered.

"You don't talk to her," Daryl snapped as he pointed his crossbow at the leader.

Rick stood between them, "HEY!" He said as he threw up his hands, "You're talking to me, not them."

"We're moving back into our cell block."

"You'll have to get your own," Rick said firmly.

"It is mine. I've still got personal artifacts in there," the leader said.

"We'll take them and shove them up your –"

"HEY! Dan! Let me take care of this!" Rick said as he pushed her back.

She scowled and stood back

"Let's try to make this work out so everybody wins…" The man with the mustache said awkwardly.

"I don't see that happening," Rick said.

"Neither do I," the leader growled. "I ain't going back in that cafeteria for one more minute!"

"Looks like –" Danni started but Rick cut her off.

"Malia, Dan – get back into the prison." He said.

"But –" Danni began to protest.

"Now."

Danni grumbled as she and Malia trudged back into the Prison, finding survivors was something they hadn't expected especially since they had gone as long as they have without finding anyone at all. She supposed it would have been very presumptuous of them to assume they would not find other survivors.

Both women walked back to the cellblock, Danni walked past Glenn and then she shook her head. "What's going on?" Glenn asked.

"Negotiations," Danni replied with a sour look on her face.

"Do you think they're just going to let us have the place?" He asked.

"I don't know…" She said as Malia kept an eye on what was going on outside, "How's Hershel?"

Glenn shook his head, "Resting, Carol's stopped the bleeding but…"

"I'm cauterizing the stump, I don't care, it'll keep the wound from getting infected." She frowned when she saw Maddy sitting on the stairs with Carl. "How's Maggie doing?"

He shrugged weakly; she patted his shoulder before she walked further into the cell block. Malia was sitting on one of the tables so Danni joined her, "What do you think of the inmates?" She asked quietly as Carl locked the gate behind her.

"That leader of theirs had a crazy look in his eye," Malia responded, "I don't trust him…"

"The others?" Danni asked as she crossed her feet at the ankles.

Malia shrugged, "They looked harmless enough, they're probably convicts but the others look like time probably changed them, not so sure about that crazy one…"

Danni nodded and she let out a sigh before the door opened and the guys came back lugging boxes, "Carl, open up the gate!"

"Food's here," T-Dog announced.

"What you got?" Carl asked as he looked up at them, Danni and Malia followed them back in to the cell block.

"Canned beef, canned corn, canned cans. There's a lot more where this came from," T-Dog responded lightly.

"I think I'll have some canned cans, sounds delicious," Danni chuckled.

Rick went to check in on Hershel as Daryl walked over to Danni, she crossed her arms over her chest as she stared at him evenly, "What did it cost to get all this?" She asked.

"To help them clear out a cell block for themselves," he said in response.

She shrugged, "A fair price…" She hesitated before she lightly put her arms around his neck, he grabbed her sides and she stared up at him, "That guy was creepy as hell."

"If he looks at you again, I don't care what the others think," he scowled, "I'm killin' him."

She laughed gently and she shook her head, "I love you Daryl Dixon…" she said before Maddy walked up to them and Daryl moved his hand to the top of her head.

She could hear Glenn and Rick talking, "Do they have guns?"

"Only saw one," Daryl said as he kept an arm around Danni, "they said it was given to them by a guard to protect themselves…"

"Yeah, I don't know if it's gonna work." Glenn said.

"Well, what are your options?" Rick asked.

"Kill them," Malia said.

They all looked at her, she always seemed cheerful, but sometimes they noticed she retreated into some unknown depth in her mind, it was the instinct of a survivor, an instinct they saw when they first met her, before she opened up to them, before she decided she could trust them.

Right now they were looking at Survivor Malia, her face was set in a deep frown and her eyes were harsh.

"What?" Rick said.

"Do any of you trust them around the others?" Malia asked.

"I kinda like that idea," Daryl said.

"Killing them wouldn't be right," Danni said. "We've come along this long to keep our humanity in tact… we can't just throw it away by callously –"

"I don't know," Rick said, "Their leader –"

"Lock him up in a cell," Danni said. "Honestly I wouldn't want him free, he gives me the creeps."

Lori looked upset, like she had just had a conversation with Rick that did not end particularly well, "We won't think about that right now." Rick said firmly.

"So what now?" Danni asked. "How do we clear it out?"

"We'll go into the prison," Rick said, "I'll take T-Dog and Daryl with me."

"Will you three be fine together with those weirdos?" Danni asked.

"I'll go with them," Malia added.

Rick nodded and then he looked at Danni who shrugged. "Let's head out," he said.

Daryl moved to walk out but Danni stopped him, "Hey – be careful." She told him.

He nodded and then she let go of his wrist and she watched him walk out with T-Dog, Rick, and Malia. Carl locked the gate after them and then Danni lead him further into the block.

Danni waved Maddy over and then she gently grasped the child's face, "How are you doing baby girl?" She asked gently.

Maddy shrugged, "I think I'm okay." She said.

Danni crouched down to look at her, "Hey, I don't want you wandering off so always stick around Carol, Lori, or Beth if I can't keep an eye on you, okay?"

Danni always said this to Maddy, she knew the child knew enough to not go wandering off, but when she spent so much time with Carl, and the boy did have a reputation of running off when no one was noticing, she felt like she needed to constantly remind her goddaughter about that.

The child nodded and then she hugged Danni tightly, "Yeah."

"Good girl," she said gently. "Now, go help Carol while I keep watch here."

"Okay," she said before she ran off.

A while later she saw Maggie walking in to the cell, she remained seated as everyone else walked out, it was then she noticed that Carl had run off.

She let out a tiny groan as she got up and went off, since the gate was locked he had probably gone further in the block, she grabbed her sword and then she silently ran off before anyone could notice she had left.

"Carl?" She called out quietly.

She sprinted further into the hall, "Carl?" She called out again.

She heard a gunshot further down the hall, she hissed out a silent curse as she ran in that direction, when she heard another gunshot she picked up the pace.

She stopped when she saw Carl standing in a room, he was looking around him and Danni angrily grabbed him by the back of his shirt, "You don't just run off like that!" She yelled at him.

"I got it," he said.

"No, you don't got it," she said as she lightly shook him, "did you not see what happened to Hershel and they were in a group –"

"I can handle it!" He said with a scowl.

"You think you can, don't go doing something stupid!" She scolded. For a while they just angrily stared at each other before she let him go. "I'm only trying to watch out for you, kid," she stated. He nodded and then she looked around them as she let him go, "Seems like we've found the infirmary," she said.

"Let's just grab what we can," Carl said.

She nodded and together they began to collect what they could find before they headed back to the cell block. When they got back Glenn looked at Carl almost angrily, "I thought you were organizing the food."

"Even better, check it out?" He said as he put the things on the bed in the cell that Hershel was resting in, everyone was gathered in there.

"Where did you get this?" Carol asked happily.

"From the infirmary. Wasn't much left, but I cleared it out," he said proudly. "Danni helped, too"

"You went by yourself?" Lori asked angrily.

"Yeah."

"Are you crazy?" His mother sounded outraged.

"No big deal. I killed two walkers," the boy shrugged.

"You- all right, do you see this? This was with the whole group," Lori said as she gestured to Hershel who was still unconscious.

"We needed supplies, so I got them," Carl's temper was rising.

"I appreciate that, but-" Lori started.

"Then get off my back!"

"Carl!" Beth said loudly, "She's your mother. You can't talk to her like that."

"Listen, I think it's great that you wanna help –" Carl didn't stay, he angrily ran off and Lori let out a dejected sigh.

"Hey, I'll go talk to him," Danni said as she pressed a kiss to the top of Maddy's head before she walked off after the boy.

She didn't have to walk very far before she found him sitting on a top bunk in one of the up-stairs cell, he angrily stared at his gun as he swung his feet. "I'd appreciate it if you put that away." She stated. He looked up and then he put it aside, she moved to sit beside him and then she clasped her hands in her lap. "You know, your mom's been having a really hard time lately," she said gently, "it's hard when your family isn't your biggest fan."

He didn't say anything, instead he simply shrugged his shoulders.

"Look, I know it's not my business, and I'm not your mom, I'm not your sister – I'm someone who's known you for a long time…" She swung her feet, "I'm worried for you guys… you, your mom, and your dad."

"Why?" Carl asked.

She shrugged and just studied him, "When your mom freaks out like that, it's not because she thinks it's fun, nor is it because she wants to stop you… she's worried…"

"I don't care," he said quietly.

She let out a heavy sigh, "Carl, I know that you're growing up… and I know you're not a kid anymore, but you need to grow up," she frowned. "And I'm not saying this because I think that's right, I'm saying it because your parents need you to be responsible, it's not fair – I know it isn't… but look at our group, look at everything that's happened to us…" She put an arm around his shoulders, "We can't afford to not get along."

"You're right…" He said.

"Of course I am." She declared.

Danni looked up when Glenn appeared, "Dan, I need you to take watch."

"Is everything okay?" She asked as Carol appeared.

Carol glanced at Carl and Danni took the hint as she slid off the bed, she walked over to them and they walked out of the cell block. "What's up?" She asked.

"I need to learn how to perform a C-Section," Carol said quietly, "Lori had Carl that way and I think this one might need to be done the same way…"

"Cadavers…" Danni nodded. "Go, I'll make sure everything is fine here."

"Thanks," Glenn said as he patted her shoulder before he left.

She leaned against the bars as she stood there, she didn't know how long she stood there just watching out before she heard Beth crying out, Danni turned and saw Lori sprinting into the cell clutching her stomach, she nodded, "I've got this." She said.

Danni nodded and she watched Lori run in, when they heard a yell of terror she sprinted into the cell, Hershel had an arm around Lori's neck and she was fighting back to get away from him, it looked like he was trying to bite her.

They pulled Lori free and Danni saw Hershel relax, she ran over to him as Maddy, Maggie, Beth, Lori, and Carl watched him in terror.

Danni frowned and put her hand to his neck, she could still feel a pulse, "He's fine." She said gently. She then put a hand to his forehead, "And he isn't feverish." She looked at Lori and managed a smile, "You saved him."

Lori nodded and Danni walked out again. She resumed her post and waited; when Glenn walked in again, she let him in and frowned, "Where's Carol?"

"I left her to do what she needed to do," Glenn responded.

"Good," she nodded and then she locked the door.

"How's Hershel?" He asked hesitantly.

"He stopped breathing for a short while… Lori was able to save him though, and he's not running a fever…" She nodded to the cell, "You should go."

He nodded, "Thanks Dan," he said.

"Don't thank me," she said gently and watched as he walked off to the others.

He nodded and walked off, she didn't move from her spot as she continued to keep watch, she didn't have to wait very long before Rick, T-Dog, Malia, and Daryl appeared again.

She quickly unlocked the doors and threw her arms around Daryl's neck as she embraced him in greeting, "Where are the others?" She asked when she noticed the inmates were not there.

"We gave them a cell block," Rick said.

She hesitated, "Rick, you need to check in on Hershel," she said gently.

He nodded and walked off, "What happened?" Daryl asked her.

She pulled back and she looked at him, "He stopped breathing for a moment but Lori was able to resuscitate him." He frowned and she studied him for a bit before she spoke up again, "So is that it?" She asked, "Is this our home now? Can we keep this part of the prison?"

He hesitated before he nodded again, "Looks like we're good for now." He said quietly.

She let out a relieved sigh, "That's good." She said with a grin.

"I s'pose."

She guessed that this would be a good place for them to properly hunker down and for them to stay safe, for now at least.


End file.
